Back in 2022, Ilya ‘m0NESY’ Osipov was defeated in the final of his first LAN on G2 in Katowice. Now, a year later and with his star shining brighter than ever, the young AWPer finds himself on the winning side after G2 took down Heroic 3-1.
After the final, we sat down with m0NESY to discuss the match and his ambition to become an even more dangerous player.
Sam ‘AN1MO’ McKenzie, BLIX.GG: Congratulations! Can you take me through the series from your perspective?
Ilya ‘m0NESY’ Osipov: We did an amazing job. We won 3-1, even though we lost a map. But it doesn’t matter, we were the second team to make a big win streak, right? [laughs] Honestly I didn’t care too much about our win streak, but it’s good that we are playing as a team. Everyone is happy and everyone is enjoying themselves. This tournament was a good result for us.
BLIX.GG: You had a couple of rough starts to maps in the final. What do you say to yourself to get back into the games?
m0NESY: Yeah, I had some rough starts. I had a rough start on Inferno, I was 0-8, same too on Mirage. After that, I stepped up on the T side. It’s not over until we win, right? We just need to keep being focused on every round. We need to forget about past rounds. Even though you made mistakes, nothing should stop you from playing your best game. I know I can play my best game, just something was not working for me.
BLIX.GG: You are still new to these big stages. How do you combat nerves when you are on the stage?
m0NESY: I think in a lot of interviews I have said that I am not pressured on the stage. I am not saying I’m not fully pressured, I have a little bit of pressure, but I’m not shaky. When you are in this situation, you start thinking a lot about what they can do and pressure comes in. Everyone has that pressure, and everyone can be stressed, but in these situations, you have to stay calm.
BLIX.GG: You started playing when you were six years old right?
m0NESY: CS:GO I started playing when I was nine years old, and 1.6 when I was five years old.
BLIX.GG: Did you ever think you were ever going to end up on these stages winning these events?
m0NESY: I only thought about how to get better and that when I get better I will lift trophies.
BLIX.GG: You get called the “Baby GOAT” a lot. Do you dream of a day when you won’t be called the “Baby GOAT” but you will be called the GOAT?
m0NESY: I do everything I can do to become better and maybe one day I will be at that point where I am the best in the game. Yeah, maybe I can be, why not?
BLIX.GG: Do you think by the end of this year you can be the number one player on HLTV?
m0NESY: I don’t think about it, I just want to become better. We’ll see at the end of the year if I can become better and be the best in the game. I mean, I can be the best in the game. Everyone can be the best in the game but sometimes you need to step up and work more, and if I work more, then I can be, why not?
BLIX.GG: What are your goals for the rest of the year?
m0NESY: To lift more trophies as I have here.
