Tenzy: Team success trumps individual awards

Nikita “tenzy” Kochenyuk, rifler for magic, spoke in Suzhou on the eve of FISSURE Playground 3 after his team entered the event as a late replacement. He emphasized that team results matter more than individual awards following his EVP recognition at the Esports World Cup, and blamed a lengthy midseason break for magic’s uneven form after a fourth-place finish in Astana.

He recalled that magic began Astana with a 0-2 start, then held an internal conversation that clarified roles, rebuilt confidence and led to a playoff run. That finish secured invitations to BLAST Bounty and the Esports World Cup.

He said the team struggled at BLAST because the break disrupted their in-game rhythm and reduced visual and physical contact. “We just needed to play more,” he added, noting that regular practice and time together were necessary to restore on-stage connection.

By EWC they had regained some form and reached the top 16, and tenzy believes the earlier pause probably prevented a stronger finish. He first noticed his EVP award during a match at the IEM Beijing closed qualifier and did not let the recognition change his focus. “Team results matter more to me than individual ones,” he added.

He described the team’s short-notice entry to FISSURE Playground 3 as a prompt to increase practice time and communication. The roster prioritized rebuilding synergy over changing tactics and approached each match aiming to “play our own game,” he explained.

Tenzy ranks magic among the world’s top 20 but said the team still needs more time together to reach consistent results. He listed a Major berth as a season goal and said the team will focus on improving team play to qualify.