TL wayne: “It sucks that we couldn’t go to playoffs… but there will be another international soon”

Following Team Liquid’s elimination from VALORANT Masters Santiago 2026 after a loss to NRG Esports, Wayne “wayne” Chang spoke with Hotspawn about his first international tournament, the Santiago crowd, and what comes next for the roster heading into Stage 1. Despite the disappointment of falling short of playoffs, wayne remained optimistic, reflecting on the experience of competing internationally for the first time and the lessons the team can carry forward.

Hotspawn: Firstly, Wayne, I know that it’s a bit of a difficult loss, but I want to start off on a positive note. It’s your first international tournament and you individually were putting up some numbers.

So how was your debut?

Wayne: “I feel like I did okay. I mean, not to my expectations, of course, but I think for an international stage, I would say it was pretty okay. It sucks that we couldn’t go to playoffs and break the curse, but it’s okay. There will be another international event soon. Hopefully we qualify for that.”

Hotspawn: You guys had a pretty long run to make it there, but you were definitely able to put up some good games in the arena.

How did it feel to experience the LATAM crowd at Masters Santiago?

Wayne: “It’s amazing. I’ve never played in front of a crowd that loud, and it feels even better to be on the stage playing. Even when I’m not playing, when I’m backstage waiting for our game to start, I can hear the crowd so loud and so clear. It just gives me the chills, honestly. It has been a very nice experience with the Chilean crowd. So hopefully more to come.”

Hotspawn: This meta has been very double-duelist heavy.

How has adapting to it been for you?

Wayne: “So far it’s been pretty easy. I feel like us running the double duelist comps is very comfortable for us. And with that, teams can’t really stop us when we’re playing our game at our max potential. So it hasn’t really been a challenge for me.”

Hotspawn: You’ve moved regions, you’ve moved from tier two to tier one. A lot of big changes happening for you. You’re constantly talking about how amazing your teammates have been.

So far, how has your journey with Liquid been?

Wayne: “I think at the start it was pretty hard. I was trying to fill in the roles and fill in whatever was left. But later on during the season, in Kickoff, we made the decision to put me on a comfort role and basically make sure I’m as comfortable as I am now. And I think it’s been working pretty well so far, so it’s really good that they made me comfortable.”

Hotspawn: Last time I got to interview you, you were talking about how getting to play with someone like nAts. So playing now on an international stage with him under his IGLing,

How has that experience been?

Wayne: “I think even on the international stage it feels the same compared to Kickoff. We’re always just trying to win the game, and he’s always doing his normal stuff, giving his speeches and everything. It’s nothing different here on the international stage, but you can see the difference in experience, especially being on the international stage where there’s more nerves and pressure. That’s what you get from playing with him. With his experience and everything, it helps me learn a lot.”

Hotspawn: Talking about today’s game, on map number one things were really close on Breeze. You guys were definitely able to understand what they were doing.

Was it more of you guys having the reads, or just preparation?

Wayne: “I think that was just us playing our game. And I think we should have closed Breeze out, but we lost a lot of important rounds when we shouldn’t have — with advantages. It’s quite sad, but it’s okay. That’s just how the game is. We tried to reset for Abyss, but the Abyss comp… we didn’t even have any practice on it. We took a risk and it didn’t pay off, unfortunately. So it is what it is.”

Hotspawn: Do you think there’s an even bigger level of difference when you play on a global VCT stage compared to just playing regional VCT events?

Wayne: “I think the biggest challenge is facing stronger teams. The teams that qualify for these events are the top teams in their region. So it’s definitely way harder, but I wouldn’t say it’s that different. I feel like as long as you play our game, you can beat anyone. So I always have that in my head.”

Hotspawn: You’ve got Stage 1 coming,

So what’s the goal for you guys?

Wayne: “I think it’s just finding the balance in our playstyle. That’s the most important thing, and overall being more consistent in our games. The goal is to qualify for London, so hopefully we can do that.”

Thank you for the amazing games, @LiquidValorant! #VALORANTMasters pic.twitter.com/zzQU7WSSsA

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) March 4, 2026

Hotspawn: What are you going to do with your remaining days in Santiago?

Wayne: “I think we’re flying tomorrow. We probably don’t really have time. We’ll just chill, enjoy a meal together, and reset. After that I’ll go home for a bit and then come back to Berlin.”

Hotspawn: Any particular games you’re excited to watch in Santiago?

Wayne: “I want to see Paper Rex go on a run again.”

Hotspawn: Don’t we all.

Wayne: “They have one of my friends, Jinggg, my fellow Singaporean. He’s the last one standing, so hopefully he does well. I’m cheering for Paper Rex.”

Hotspawn: I’m sure your family have been watching you compete on this global stage.

What have they been saying?

Wayne: “They’re congratulating me and supporting me. My friends in Singapore too. Even though the games are at like 2:00 a.m. or 3:00 a.m. there, they still watch me. I’m really thankful for that.”