EPTSemi-finals Day 1 Preview
SKT_Classic vs Jin Air_Maru
by Trasko
In retrospect, the GSL semi-finals have almost proven to almost always be more full-fledged than the actual finals. Taking a stroll down memory lane, we have a plethora of perfect examples demonstrating this phenomenon, one of them being GSL Season 5 of 2012. This was a time of which the dreaded BL/Infestor composition was at its height and also the only GSL playoffs not played in Korea. Taking place at IPL5 in Las Vegas, we were treated to a series of very exciting semi-final matches featuring the players
HyuN vs 
INnoVation and Ryung vs Sniper. Almost everyone was hoping for a non-ZvZ final to break the recent Zerg-heavy trend but, since Innovation had not yet activated god mode and Ryung was unable to finish off the eventual champion Sniper (notoriously provoking Ryung's closing comment "IMBAIMBAIMBAIMBA"), the eventual ZvZ finals looked both uninteresting and bland. With the semi-finals having been so good with the four participants playing their hearts out for the Las Vegas crowd, it seemed almost impossible that the finals could topple the semis in quality and in hype. That Hyun vs Sniper actually did manage to live up to, and perhaps even outshine, the level of play in the semis is a fact many people forgot the moment the finals ended.There are number of different exciting possible outcomes from this first semi-finals match. This will either be the first GSL finals with a Terran player in it since WCS Season 1 Korea in 2013 or the third PvZ GSL finals in a row along with the potential of another GSL Protoss Champion (also third in a row). Traditionally the GSL has been famous for its Terran finalists and its lack of Protoss champions. However, since the release of HotS and the balance changes that followed, Terrans have struggled quite a bit against both races. In fact, this season only hosted a lackluster number of 4 Terran players, one of them of course being
Maru. But what this really shows is that having a Terran player in the finals of a GSL once again would not only be refreshing, but also perhaps something the Korean scene needs. Luckily for the fans, if any Terran player were to make it to the finals it would be Maru. Over the past year he has proven himself, again and again, as both one of the best Terrans in the world, and one of the most entertaining players to boot. Maru has been an invaluable asset in Jin Air Green Wings's Proleague campaign and currently ties
RorO for fourth place. Add in the round playoffs' all-kill format, and Maru sits atop the rankings alongside the formidable 
CJ_herO. Ever since Maru's unexpected OSL championship back in 2013, Maru (whilst still being on Prime) has claimed four Round of 4 finishes in WCS/GSL events. Another semi-finals loss here would almost put him up with the likes of Jaedong, despite facing generally tougher opposition for much of the year. Maru, who despite his tender age is a true GSL veteran, doubtlessly has the potential to finally claim a GSL trophy this season. Since no more Terrans remain in the tournament beyond Maru, the bracket is set for a championship that feels long overdue.
Over the past couple of months, Maru has received many opportunities to play against top players of all races, and even though his TvT record is his best match-up statistically, he most likely feels more confident playing against Protoss. Looking at Maru's match history and his attitude towards the semi-finals, Maru has won series against both Zest and a veritable who's who of Korea's top Protosses and is both happy and excited to once again be in the spotlight of the GSL floor. While other Terrans have struggled and fallen, Maru is a Terran star that keeps shining. The only thing that could foreseeably be cause for worry is his recent complaints about his wrists - the bane of all Terrans. I suppose, if Maru wants to join the ranks of legendary Terran champions such as Taeja in SC2 or Flash in BW, wrist pain comes as an unfortunate but unavoidable complement. Hopefully for Maru, his wrists have not yet devolved to the point where they can cause him real trouble against Classic, but it is a risk worth taking into account, if not now then at least in the future.
In comparison with Maru, whose four years of tournament experience makes him a grizzled veteran in SC2,
Classic actually makes his debut appearance in a semi-finals. His current road to the semi-finals has involved multiple team kills and many PvZ's while not really testing his PvT. If you do not follow Proleague, Classic is a new face that you would be wise to remember. He has made few appearances outside Proleague, thus preventing foreign fans from learning much about him. But don't fret! I'm here to tell you that he's awesome. Since his abrupt switch from Terran to Protoss last season, Classic has had a surge of success. He qualified for IEM Cologne by beating a long list of top players and has been one of the best performing Protosses in Proleague for months.However, Classic's match history however shows that he rarely plays televised PvT games. Whether this is due to the fact that his team deliberately avoids sending him out in situations where he might come to face a Terran or if it's due to the current general lack of successful Terran players within Korea is a question worth asking. Statistically, Classic has recently played many PvZ and PvP games to fairly great success, beating players like
Hydra, PartinG, double GSL runner-up soO and most recently ParalyzE so there is little question he has the potential to do well in the finals, whichever opponent he'd come to face, if he were to make it that far. But first he must pass one of Korea's top Terrans in Maru in his first true display of PvT skill. Does he have what it takes to take on Maru? It'll be interesting to see.Of course, being an SKT Protoss, Classic has a momentous legacy he must prove that he can live up to, and with players like
BrAvO and FanTaSy on his team he'll most likely be decently prepared for this upcoming match. Neither of them of Maru's caliber, but by no means pushovers. Classic is good enough that Maru bringing his A-game is an absolute requirement. Maru does have the advantage of having sOs as a potential practice partner, but his post-match interview after the quarterfinals made it seem as though last minute prepartion works the best for the young prodigy. With a heavy focus on Proleague, Jin Air need their gold star player to be in top-notch shape and prepared to come out as their ace as sOs has had a sub-par day. This means that Maru has to bear the burden of both being the ace player for his team and playing a GSL semi-finals, something not many can handle and be successful with. It remains to be seen if Maru can.Overall Thoughts and Predictions:
This isn't the first time that these players have faced each other in the GSL. Back in February, they squared off in the Ro32 of Code S where Classic promptly advanced in first place in lieu of Maru, defeating him 2-0 in the first match. A lot can change in 4 months, however, and a quick look at Aligulac bucks the common conception that PvT is heavily Protoss favored. In fact, Maru is 19-10 in TvP since his loss to Classic, despite being on a 2 game losing streak. Classic, on the other hand, has barely faced a terran since their last meeting. He is 2-2, with his last PvT almost a month ago. At first glance it appears that Maru has all the momentum in the matchup, but the abundance of Protoss and the lack of Terrans in Proleague and Code S have been key in their disparate records; there's arguably little to gain from only looking at numbers.
Despite Maru's age, he should also be considered the veteran of the two, at least in individual leagues. He has been around since the GSL Open Seasons, has been a staple on Prime's roster for years and has contributed more to the success of the Terran race in Korea than any other player since Mvp. This wealth of experience will aid him in his mental preparations heading into a Best of 7, something Classic has yet to feel. This is a distinct advantage that shouldn't be overlooked, even though Classic should have the great minds of SKT T1's veterans behind him.
Two years have passed since a Terran last held up the GSL Trophy, and for many the current dearth of Dominion forces in Code S has to be considered some of the darkest times the race has experienced. It feels like an eternity since Mvp defied the will of Aiur to claim an unlikely title for Terran. Will Maru finally be the boy, nay, the man that succeeds the King of Wings? While destiny seems to be on the side of the young Prince of Marines, Classic has slowly become the next successor to the SKT T1 Protoss lineage where the likes of PartinG and Rain (at least in Code S) have failed. Only one will reach the final, and we think it's time for the prodigy to continue his legend.
Maru 4-3 Classic
