Mezii: Missing Porto felt like being left out of a party

William ‘mezii’ Merriman returned to action on day two of StarSeries Fall after missing BLAST Open Porto for the birth of his second child, helping Team Vitality defeat FURIA and secure a place in the upper-bracket final.

Merriman described watching his team from home as an odd experience, comparing it to seeing friends at a party he was not invited to. “It’s never fun watching from home,” he said, adding that caring for his almost two-year-old and feeling under the weather contributed to a strange viewing experience.

Vitality produced a convincing performance to avoid the lower bracket, which can require playing multiple best-of-three matches in a single day. Merriman pointed to the tournament format as a practical reason to stay in the upper bracket and noted that FURIA’s recent schedule of back-to-back events and travel may have affected their opponents’ condition.

The roster is in a busy stretch. Merriman and captain Dan ‘apEX’ Madesclaire are both new fathers this season. apEX is scheduled to miss PGL Masters Bucharest in October for paternity leave. Vitality also used a stand-in, jL, at a recent event and reached the semi-finals while operating without the full five.

Merriman said those substitute results matter but emphasised the importance of fielding the complete roster when possible to earn ranking points and build consistency. He described the current period as chaotic and noted that returning to full form will take match practice: he admitted to a slow start on Mirage against FURIA but said the team settled as the match progressed.

Looking ahead, Vitality’s stated focus is the Major in Singapore. Merriman said the team will aim to win trophies when opportunities arise and to be fully prepared for the Major. He joked to his captain that tiredness comes with fatherhood and described parenting as rewarding despite the sleep loss.

Vitality will play again in the upper-bracket final later in the StarSeries Fall schedule, seeking to convert the stronger performance into a tournament win and further momentum before the Major.

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