The reigning VCT Pacific Stage 1 champions, Paper Rex, saw their campaign at the ongoing Masters Shanghai come to an abrupt end after a thrilling lower bracket quarter-final against 100 Thieves. Despite entering the tournament as one of the top contenders, their journey was cut short in what can only be described as a disappointment for the fans and the team.
This loss marks their second defeat at the hands of 100T’s American captain, Elric “Boostio” Pupello. Their previous encounter was at VCT Champions 2023 in Los Angeles, where Boostio, then leading Evil Geniuses, led his team to a historic victory over PRX in the grand finale.
The match against the American was a rollercoaster, starting with 100T’s dominant performance on Breeze. They secured an 8-4 lead in the first half, and despite PRX’s efforts to rally after the side switch, they could only secure a single round, succumbing to a 13-5 defeat. Peter “Asuna” Mazuryk’s standout performance, boasting 22 kills and 9 assists, played a pivotal role in their victory.
Paper Rex then equalized in their strong map Sunset. Led by the dynamic duo Wang “Jinggg” Jie and Jason “f0rsaken” Susanto, PRX took an 8-4 lead by halftime. But despite a 9-6 lead in the second half, they could not finish it convincingly as 100T managed to press them and win the next four rounds. With sheer determination, PRX proceeded to take the following four rounds in a row to win on Sunset.
The decisive third map on Icebox was a nail-biter, with both teams trading rounds in a tense back-and-forth battle. Jinggg and Ilya “something” Petrov pushed PRX aggressively, but 100T, with Asuna and Boostio at the helm, refused to back down. The first half ended with a narrow 7-5 lead for 100T, who then extended it to 11-7.
As 100T seemed to gain an advantage, PRX mounted a fierce comeback, equalizing at 11-11. However, 100T clinched the 23rd round to reach match point again, and despite PRX forcing overtime, 100T’s mental fortitude and individual brilliance shone through. They swiftly secured the overtime rounds to advance to the lower bracket semi-final of Masters Shanghai.
With Paper Rex’s exit, the spotlight now shifts to Gen.G, the last representative of the Pacific region in Shanghai. To reach the grand finale, they will need to overcome the formidable G2 Esports, who had previously stunned PRX in the upper bracket stage five days ago.
