Nemesis’ r3salt vows to ‘keep slogging’ after XSE exit

Evgeny “r3salt” Frolov said Nemesis will continue to compete after a 2-1 loss to Alliance in the XSE Pro League Guangzhou quarterfinals on July 9, 2026, a result that left the squad without VRS points needed to secure a higher tournament tier.

Nemesis advanced from the group stage with a 3-1 record, recording wins over Luminosity, B8 and EYEBALLERS. The team showed strong moments against BetBoom but dropped the quarterfinal tie after losing the last two maps to Alliance, leaving them with no ranking points from the event.

Frolov recalled that tension rose after the opening map, when players left the arena and argued. He described himself as unusually vocal during that exchange and said the mood after the first map made the match’s direction clear to some members of the roster.

Reaching the playoffs was the initial goal, he noted, but the team set higher targets as the tournament progressed. Frolov said the squad needed points to “lock ourselves into this tier one or one and a half” that would help secure invites to top-level events. Missing those points, he said, means the organization faces a longer road to regular invitations: “So now, apparently, we’ll keep slogging through the shit.”

Frolov spoke about fatigue with online competition and a preference for in-person events. He said he will accept matches regardless of opponent or bracket position just to play and win. The team, based in Singapore, has a clear target: qualification for the Singapore Major.

On his career path, Frolov described a stint with 9 Pandas and a loan to Sangal, where he received match time instead of remaining on the bench. He said he pushed Nemesis to complete a permanent transfer so he could play full time.

Nemesis has added support staff and the roster began working with a psychologist to improve consistency; Frolov said he declined to take part. He also noted that other teams withdrew from the Guangzhou event for rest after the Major, a factor that affected the field.

Despite the quarterfinal exit, Frolov pointed to the group-stage performance and recent online results as positives. The stated plan is to turn those performances into regular ranking points and invitations. Until then, he said, the team will continue to compete and pursue a spot at the Singapore Major.