"My performance is still not satisfactory": Book Interview

The first half of Evo 2021 Online concluded the previous weekend, and we already know who some of the winners are. For the Asia South region, the Tekken 7 tournament ended with a victory of Nopparut “Book” Hempamorn, whose Lidia left no chance to his opponents.

He did expect to do well in this tournament, he stated as much in our Tekken 7 Evo 2021 Online material. Now, after he fulfilled his promise, we reached out to him and asked about the victory.

Congratulations on your win at Evo 2021 Online! You didn’t drop more than a single round in any of the matches in Top 4. Did you come in extra prepared, or did you just play your usual game?

I didn’t really prepare anything. I just asked my friend Uncle Ben who was available at that time, and we practiced for 20 minutes before Top 4 started.

Was it a surprise for you that AK didn’t make it into the Top 4? Does this indicate the growth of the scene?

Yes, I didn’t expect AK to lose against my friend Reaper Rabbit. I expected to have a chance to play against AK in Top 4, but anything could happen, it’s all about preparation for each player.

In the past year, you have played several characters: Leroy, Jin, Fahkumram. Now you played Lidia with great success. What brought you to pick her up?

I picked Lidia for the same reason I played Leroy and Fahkumram. I always want to learn new characters, so I dedicate time to learn them. Lidia was the latest character, and that made me play her a lot recently. In the end, it made me comfortable when playing her.

Could you say that she’s your new main now? Or do you keep your options open and pick according to the state of the game?

I would say she’s a temporary pick now. I am always a Jin main, but I keep my secondary characters ready for specific situations.

Tell us more about the Julia matchup. She’s a top-tier character now, but your Lidia seemingly had no problems dealing with her. What are her options against her?

The good thing about Lidia is the punishment. She has almost every option to punish Julia on the minus frames. But for the matchup, I still think Julia has the advantage. She is a better character.

With this Evo win, you now get a ticket to the Evo Showcase. Who are you looking forward to facing the most?

At first, I didn't know the winner would get a ticket. *laughs* I’m looking forward to playing against Gen because of his performance in 2020-2021. He looks unstoppable in most of the tournaments. I also want to play with everyone, but before that, I want to know who will be the representatives from the rest of the regions.

What are your plans beyond the Evo Showcase? Getting ready for the next season, or is there something else?

I am planning to make content for my YouTube channel and prepare for next season because I think my performance is still not satisfactory. I want to prove myself more.

Congratulations to Book once again! For more Evo 2021 Online coverage, take a look at the special page will all the materials.