Team Liquid beats Doublelift and TSM to start LCS Summer Split

Team Liquid launched their Summer Split campaign with an emphatic 25-minute victory against arch-rivals TSM, setting the tone for what appears to be a dramatic organizational turnaround.

The four-time LCS champions entered this season with significant pressure to perform after their disastrous ninth-place finish in Spring Split. The organization implemented sweeping changes, beginning with the dismissal of long-time League of Legends coach Kang “Dodo” Jun-hyeok, whom star player Yiliang “Doublelift” Peng had publicly criticized for communication failures. The subsequent release of Doublelift himself marked a pivotal moment in the team’s restructuring strategy.

Doublelift later revealed details about his turbulent final months with Team Liquid, including being unexpectedly benched without warning and experiencing strained relationships with teammates who struggled to move past his early-season struggles. Despite these challenges, he acknowledged Team Liquid owner Steve Arhancet’s supportive role in facilitating his transition to TSM.

In the weeks leading up to the Summer Split, Doublelift made his intentions crystal clear – he aimed to “annihilate” his former organization for what he perceived as unfair treatment.

“My goal is to completely humiliate them on stage. This personal motivation provides fresh competitive energy and psychological fuel,” Doublelift declared in pre-match interviews.

He directly warned Team Liquid to prepare for his vengeance, setting up one of the most anticipated storylines of the split.

Team Liquid responded with calculated psychological warfare, releasing a social media video featuring the entire team laughing at Doublelift’s threats. The organization’s official statement emphasized that “actions speak louder than words,” subtly referencing Doublelift’s underwhelming Spring Split statistics as evidence that his threats lacked substance.

Ahh. We’re terrified. pic.twitter.com/8SOAMJpdPM

— Team Liquid LoL (@TeamLiquidLoL) June 13, 2020

This pre-match exchange created unprecedented hype around the opening weekend, with fans divided over whether Doublelift’s veteran experience or Team Liquid’s renewed roster would prevail.

Team Liquid’s Strategic Dominance in Summer Split

Cloud9’s star player Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen provided surprising insight during pre-week interviews with WIN.gg, identifying Team Liquid as the primary championship threat despite their Spring Split collapse. This prediction stunned the League of Legends community but proved remarkably accurate based on their opening performance.

The match revealed that removing Doublelift from the roster catalyzed Team Liquid’s resurgence. Their coordinated gameplay and strategic execution demonstrated significant improvement from their previous split struggles.

#TLWIN! @TeamLiquidLoL dominate @TSM to pick up their first win of the 2020 #LCS Summer Split! #LCS

???? https://t.co/vNprEWDftF pic.twitter.com/zOZolXPWkV

— LCS (@LCSOfficial) June 13, 2020

TSM struggled to establish any meaningful presence throughout the game. Their jungler Mingyi “Spica” Lu underperformed significantly on Kayn, requiring an astonishing 23 minutes to achieve his transformation – a critical failure that left his team at a substantial strategic disadvantage and validated concerns among TSM supporters about their developing player’s readiness for high-pressure competition.

Meanwhile, Team Liquid’s rookie ADC Edward “Tactical” Ra delivered a flawless 7/0/6 performance on Aphelios. He secured two early eliminations against Doublelift, establishing dominance from the opening minutes. Supported by veteran Yong-In “CoreJJ” Jo, Tactical appeared virtually unstoppable, with Team Liquid rapidly accumulating a 13,000 gold advantage by the 25-minute mark to secure victory.

Doublelift expressed his frustration through social media following the decisive defeat.

unlucky

— Yiliang Peng (@TSMDoublelift) June 13, 2020

Mads “Broxah” Brock-Pedersen, whom Doublelift credited as his primary supporter during the difficult Spring Split period despite feeling isolated from other teammates, offered encouragement to “maintain positive mentality,” tweeting that Doublelift “would return stronger.”

Broxah celebrated the victory on Twitter: “That was an exceptionally clean performance. Thrilled to participate in our opening match this split, and couldn’t imagine a more perfect start!”

The League of Legends community reacted with surprise at Team Liquid’s dominant form, with analysts noting significant improvements in their early-game decision making and objective control compared to Spring Split performances.

Team Liquid prepares to face Golden Guardians while TSM attempts to rebound against Dignitas as the LCS continues through Saturday.

This victory establishes Team Liquid as legitimate championship contenders and validates their difficult roster decisions. The team’s ability to integrate their rookie ADC seamlessly while maintaining veteran leadership from CoreJJ and Broxah suggests they’ve found the optimal roster configuration for success.

The strategic implications extend beyond this single match – Team Liquid has demonstrated they can successfully develop new talent while competing at the highest level, a crucial capability for long-term organizational sustainability in the evolving LCS landscape.

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