“They just f—ed us”: ZywOo interview after IEM Katowice 2023 –

Team Vitality’s star AWPer Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut provides candid insights into their IEM Katowice 2023 campaign, where the squad secured fifth place after victories over Ninjas in Pyjamas and Fnatic, followed by defeats against Heroic and Team Liquid. The French phenom delivered exceptional individual numbers, maintaining his elite standards with 87.3 damage per round and a 1.28 KD ratio throughout the competition.

WIN.gg: Vitality demonstrated marked improvement from last year’s 9th place finish. What specific areas showed the most development?

ZywOo: We’ve made substantial progress across multiple dimensions. While it’s challenging to pinpoint exact mechanisms, our current trajectory indicates a strong foundation for the competitive year ahead. We’re determined to avoid repeating last season’s inconsistency patterns where performance fluctuated dramatically. Both individual skill refinement and collective team coordination have elevated significantly. Despite yesterday not representing our peak form, the mental resilience we displayed confirms our growth beyond previous limitations.

Professional teams often struggle with maintaining consistency throughout lengthy tournament schedules. Vitality’s ability to bounce back from setbacks while maintaining competitive edge demonstrates their evolving strategic maturity. The squad’s damage output and kill-death ratios consistently ranked among tournament leaders, indicating their firepower remains world-class even during challenging matches.

Will the Overpass performance linger in your thoughts moving forward?

The critical takeaway revolves around our contrasting performances between sides. Our Counter-Terrorist execution demonstrated solid coordination and tactical discipline. However, our Terrorist approach lacked the structured execution needed against disciplined opposition. We defaulted to individual plays rather than systematic team coordination, which proved costly against prepared opponents.

Immediate post-tournament focus shifts to recovery and preparation for upcoming ESL Pro League commitments. After this necessary break, we’ll conduct thorough match analysis to extract lessons from both successful and challenging moments. These learning opportunities become foundational for future strategic development.

Common pitfalls for professional teams include over-reliance on individual brilliance during high-pressure situations. Developing systematic approaches for both map sides ensures more consistent performance regardless of opponent strategies. The three-week preparation window before Pro League allows for both physical recovery and strategic refinement.

Your Nuke clutch involving the squeaky door manipulation earned recognition as a tournament highlight. What mental processes enabled this creative play?

(Chuckles) The execution stems from intuitive game understanding rather than premeditated planning. When defending B site positions, I focus on maximizing environmental interactions to create uncertainty for attackers. Door manipulations, sound cues, and positional unpredictability combine to form layered defensive strategies. That particular round victory resulted from reading opponent patterns and countering expected behaviors.

Breaking down competitive success into components, how would you distribute importance between natural talent, practice dedication, and strategic intelligence?

The foundation requires balanced development across multiple domains. Individual mechanical skill constitutes approximately 40%, coordinated team play another 40%, with the remaining 20% attributable to game intelligence and decision-making. While some exceptional players thrive through overwhelming individual prowess, sustainable excellence demands integration of all elements.

Advanced players should focus on developing situational awareness that complements their mechanical abilities. Understanding when to employ individual plays versus coordinated team execution separates elite competitors from merely skilled players. Consistent performance emerges from this holistic development approach rather than over-specialization in any single area.

HLTV ranked you as 2022’s second-best professional behind s1mple. Does this placement motivate or frustrate you?

I maintain no personal competitive animosity toward s1mple. Facing elite opposition provides valuable learning opportunities and competitive stimulation. His top ranking reflects consistent playoff performances and tournament success that our squad needs to replicate. The recognition serves as benchmark for our collective growth rather than individual comparison.

What’s the correct pronunciation of your gaming alias? French supporters frequently chant “ZeewOo” during major events.

The name’s origins trace back to an older French gaming title, borrowed from another player’s handle. I attempted to locate the original user to clarify pronunciation, but ultimately embrace all variations. The flexibility reflects gaming culture’s inclusive nature regarding identity expression.

How does competing in CS:GO’s spiritual home, Katowice, impact your competitive mindset?

Experiencing Spodek Arena’s electric atmosphere for the first time creates memorable competitive experiences. The venue’s design and crowd energy elevate the competitive atmosphere beyond typical tournament settings. These legendary LAN environments contribute significantly to esports’ growing prestige and professional recognition.

Current professional meta shows divided preferences between M4A4 and M4A1-S rifles. What factors influence your equipment selection?

Weapon choice depends heavily on individual playstyle preferences, map positioning requirements, and strategic role assignments. Both rifles offer distinct advantages depending on engagement scenarios and team composition needs. The silenced variant provides stealth benefits while the M4A4 offers superior ammunition capacity and handling characteristics.

My personal inclination favors the M4A4 due to its larger magazine capacity and the precision demands it imposes. These characteristics align with my positioning preferences and engagement patterns across various competitive scenarios.

Professional players should experiment with both weapons during practice sessions to determine optimal fit for their specific roles. Understanding when each rifle’s strengths become most relevant allows for more informed equipment decisions during tournament play.

For those looking to improve their weapons proficiency, focusing on spray control mastery and positioning optimization proves more valuable than equipment selection alone. The foundation of effective rifle play remains consistent regardless of specific weapon choice.

What initiated your journey into competitive Counter-Strike?

My introduction to the franchise began around 2007 through family gaming sessions. My brother and cousins frequented local cyber cafes for group play, eventually convincing our mother to acquire a home computer capable of running the game. Observing my brother navigate CS Source created early fascination with tactical shooters and competitive gaming mechanics.

When did you recognize professional gaming as a viable career path?

High school years revealed my competitive potential, but joining FPL (Faceit Pro League) provided the definitive confirmation. That competitive environment demonstrated the possibility of transitioning from passionate hobby to professional occupation.

The transition from casual play to professional competition requires both demonstrated skill and opportunity recognition. Many talented players overlook the importance of competitive exposure and professional networking when pursuing esports careers. Understanding the pathway from amateur to professional helps aspiring competitors navigate the challenging transition into paid competition.

Understanding proper class selection and role specialization often determines long-term competitive success more than raw mechanical ability alone.

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