donk: "Every game we play against G2 we become a better team"

Spirit are facing "some problems against G2 that [they] are not facing against other teams," but donk is hoping they will break their duck soon.

Danil "⁠donk⁠" Kryshkovets has qualified for his second Major after going the long road through the seventh-place qualifier with Spirit.

The 17-year-old phenom was staring down the barrel of missing the Major after losses to Passion UA and Spirit's nemesis, G2, but recovered to ensure he is still in the running for the HLTV Player of the Year award in his rookie year.

Date	Matches
Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 Europe RMR B
24/11/2024	Spirit Finished 2:0 Sashi	Match
24/11/2024	Ninjas in Pyjamas Finished 0:2 Spirit	Match

"I'm good with top-three," donk told HLTV after securing his second sticker. "I know that I can be better, I can fight for No.1, but if you want to be the best player in the world you should be the best team in the world."

That's the goal for Spirit, as attention turns to their charge at the Shanghai Major title.

If you cannot see the Soundcloud embed above, listen to the interview here.

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Congratulations, got a bit close but you're back at the Major. How does it feel?

It feels good. We got a bit more space to fix our mistakes, and fix our problems, because I think our performance in this stage wasn't really good. We're going to fix our problems, because we have time between the Elimination stage and RMR.

What do you think the problems were?

It's hard to say, to be honest. Best of one has no mercy, you cannot make silly mistakes. We made them, so we got to 2-1 and then we faced G2. It was a tough game, very close, we could have won it if we did a little bit better so we lost so we got to the 2-2 bracket.

Why do you think it's been tough for you guys against G2?

I don't know. Sometimes, it's really close, sometimes it's zero chance to win. Against them, we are facing some problems that we are not facing against other teams. It's a new experience, and every game we play against them, we become a better team. I think our chances become higher and higher every game. I hope so [laughs].

Going into the Major, you'll still be seen as one of the favorites, how do you see your chances?

We don't care about being favorites. We just want to perform well. Now we have to fix the problems we had in this stage, and we will see what is going to happen at the Major.

On yourself, individually, are you allowing yourself to think about Player of the Year award?

I'm good with top-three. I know that I can be better, I can fight for No. 1, but if you want to be the best player in the world, you should be on the best team in the world, I guess. You cannot be top-one player if you're not performing well with your team.