In a surprising move, TSM’s Yiliang “Doublelift” Peng will be taking off the upcoming spring split, the organization announced Tuesday.
Doublelift’s statement:
“It has been a huge privilege to play professionally with so much support from my fans and teammates. I’m tremendously grateful for the fans who follow me and cheer me on through this wild ride.
I am not so talented as many believe. The quality that has kept me domestically dominant for five straight seasons isn’t nature, it’s determination. So many of my peers from Season 1 lacked the fire and willpower to be the best, and they have long faded away. When I do something, I put my heart and soul into it, striving to achieve greatness.
That’s why it’s time for a small break. After our convincing performance in Summer, NALCS Spring is considerably less appetizing. Streaming and creating content is something I’ve always wanted to focus on, and it’s the perfect time to do it. I’ll come back if the team needs me – better than before, and better than ever.”
The surprising move comes after Doublelift led TSM through a historic summer split, defeating Cloud9 in the finals, and making an appearance at the 2016 World Championship. His play, alongside rookie support Vincent “Biofrost” Wang, was a bit of a mixed bag in the premier tournament, but the revamped TSM lineup seemed poised for bigger things in 2017.
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According to the same statement, Doublelift’s position upon return is not guaranteed, which means he’ll be competing for the spot if he chooses to return for the summer.
TSM will begin their search for a new starting ADC shortly, and will not be attending IEM Oakland.
