Singapore-based esports giant Paper Rex was placed third at the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) Masters Madrid, after a 1-2 loss to the American team Sentinels in the lower bracket finals held on 24 March, Sunday.
With a second seed from the Pacific region, Paper Rex joined Masters Madrid following a second place finish in the VCT Pacific Kickoff.
Despite a 1-2 loss to China’s EDward Gaming in the Swiss format Group Stage, they quickly rebounded with a 2-1 win over Team Heretics. This victory, coupled with a 2-1 conquest of Karmine Corp in the Group Stage finale, propelled them into the Playoffs.
However, upon meeting Gen.G, who had previously triumphed over them in the VCT Pacific Kickoff grand finals, their journey suffered a minor setback.
Paper Rex was decisively beaten 2-0 by Gen.G in the upper bracket semifinals, resulting in their relegation to the lower bracket. They later bounced back by outclassing Brazil’s LOUD 2-0 in the lower bracket semifinals and progressing to the lower bracket finals.
Contrastingly, Sentinels, VCT Americas’ top seed, made a striking entrance into Masters Madrid with an unblemished 2-0 record at the Swiss Stage, thereby locking in their spot in the Playoffs.
In a nail-biting series with LOUD, Sentinels managed to edge out a 2-1 victory.
However, they later succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Gen.G in the upper bracket finals, landing them in the lower bracket finals against Paper Rex.
The inaugural match on Lotus was a heated affair, ending with a 6-6 tie at half-time. Maintaining parity throughout the second half, the teams ended up in overtime after a 12-12 tie.
Ultimately, it was Sentinels who came through in the last two rounds, thereby clinching the opening game 14-12.
Paper Rex continued to fight in the second game on Ascent, tying the score at 6-6 at halftime. But the Singaporean team’s momentum faltered in the second half, as Sentinels reeled off seven consecutive round victories to seize a 13-6 victory in the second game.
The third game on Split saw Paper Rex launch a comeback, dominating the first half 8-4. Desperate to push the series further, they rounded out the second half with a 5-1 record, triumphing 13-5 against Split.
However, in game four, Sentinels exhibited their prowess, taking a 9-3 lead after the first half. They conceded no ground in the second half, securing four back-to-back round victories to claim the 3-1 series win and a spot in the Grand Finals.
Paper Rex meanwhile bowed out in third place, bagging a US$65,000 consolation prize. Though they did not win, Cahya “Monyet” Nugraha continued to impress with a 24/10/3 KDA.
Sentinels are set to go head-to-head with Gen.G in a best-of-five rematch set for Monday, March 24, at 12:00 AM Singapore Time, in the VCT Pacific Kickoff Grand Finals.
Anna is a freelance writer and photographer. She has a passion for RPGs and platformers and is a self-proclaimed geek of League of Legends. Also, she’s a food lover who enjoys a robust cup of black coffee.
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