SaSe after ESWC 2007. Time for a title this year, Kim?Kim "SaSe" Hammar. Overrated. Invited to tournaments just because he has a lot of fanboys in China. That's often the sound of the European jungle drum, and especially the Swedish one. There have been numerous comments racking down on the Swedish Night Elf player, meaning that a player in such a position should perform better. However, Kim Hammar continues to qualify for the big offline events, continues to dominate and score important points for his teams in online leagues.
Just before the Electronic Sports World Cup, SaSe defeated his former team mate Yoan "ToD" Merlo in the WC3L when Team Alternate played Gravitas Gaming. Surely that was a sign of strength, and probably a moment of relief for the 'Swedish sentinel'. He knew that he was paired up with ToD in the first group stage in San José, and coming to an event with a recent win against his main opposer for the first spot in his group must have felt good.
Looking over his career, SaSe has not won any big international tournament aside from the LAN tournament DreamHack. The closest to an international title was the Samsung European Championship this year, where he "won" the silver. If you count the Battle.Net Season 4 European qualifier played in Stockholm, SaSe actually has a championship title from an event where Europe's best took part. But as it is yet just another qualifier, he is not too remembered for it.
In this year's ESWC tournament, Kim has been looking extremely focused and in shape. While his first group stage performance was nothing much to brag about, winning over players he normally should defeat on any day, his second group stage winnings are more impressive. Defeating the tournament's upset Bonecracker, Chinese top ranked TH000 and the veteran Miou, SaSe has only lost three maps through the tournament. One came against Bonecracker, and two against ToD in the first group stage.
Tonight's playoff match, against WhO, will be a deciding moment for the Night Elf player from Lerum, Sweden. Should he win, he is in the semi final, and is guaranteed a Top 4 position, and might even reach the final if he can take out the winner between ReiGn and Lyn. He would then silent the doubters and enter the fine list of ESWC top placement achievers. Should he lose, SaSe might get a notice or two for "only" reaching Top 8, and the doubters will still play their drums.
Last year, SaSe failed to advance to the playoffs after a really hard second group, with to-be-champion SoJu, 2006's runner-up Zeus, Insomnia and Fly100% in it. This year he has already done better, and the Swedish doubters should be satisfied with having a player who is among the eight best in the world.
