Graviti on 3DMAX’s rise at CAC 2025: “I’m proud to lead and perform at my best”

Graviti on 3DMAX’s rise at CAC 2025: “I’m proud to lead and perform at my best”

In the aftermath of his team’s spectacular semi-final win at the CS Asia Championships 2025 (CAC 2025), French trailblazer Filip “Graviti” Brankovic reflected on his dual role as in-game leader and top-performer for his squad 3DMAX. The victory over Liquid not only secured the team’s place in the grand final but also marked a turning point in Graviti’s own journey — both as a captain and a player. 

The long road to this moment

3DMAX’s path to the semi-final win was anything but smooth. After a dominant 13-1 opening win, they suffered a surprise 1-2 loss to Legacy in the group stage, which forced them into the lower bracket and raised fresh questions about consistency. 

Having navigated past teams like Lynn Vision and Virtus.pro in the elimination rounds, 3DMAX arrived at their semi-final match against Liquid with momentum lined up — but not without scars. The Fragging stats show Graviti posting a +12 kill-difference (47-35) in the match versus Liquid. 

Leadership & individual form – fighting on both fronts

During the interview, Graviti acknowledged the challenge of balancing team-leadership duties with maintaining his own peak performance.

“Since I became IGL, I’ve had to learn to trust myself in fragging positions, calling the game, and keeping the team right. But to now feel I’m delivering individually as well — that’s something I’m really proud of.” 

He noted that in earlier months, he sometimes felt his individual level dropped because the mental load of calling overshadowed his rifling. At CAC 2025, with the pressure building and big names ahead, he said the mental switch flipped.
He explained:

• The semi-final victory was the culmination of belief: “We said we can beat any team here, if we play our rounds. That mindset changed the game for us.”

• Individually, he felt more confident: “My entry kills, my reading of rotations — I felt those click this event. I just felt more alive on the server.”

• Leadership-wise, he emphasized the importance of team unity: “If you don’t reset after losses, you’ll implode in this kind of stacked field. We made sure to pick each other up.”

Semi-final breakdown: how it unfolded

Against Liquid, the series played out as follows:

• Dust 2 (Liquid’s pick): 3DMAX surged to an 8-2 lead on the CT side but couldn’t close the T side, allowing Liquid to claw back to a 13-10 win.

• Nuke (3DMAX’s pick): Discipline from the French side saw them dominate the CT side and win 13-7 to tie the series.

• Inferno (decider): Graviti’s squad stormed ahead to 5-1, built the momentum, and sealed the map 13-8 and the series 2-1.

Graviti singled out the pistol round victory as a key turning point — something the team often feverishly drills. “Winning a pistol here means more than four rounds, it means belief. We grabbed it and we didn’t let go.” 

The broader picture: what this means for 3DMAX

With the semi-final win in hand, 3DMAX entered the grand final with a mix of momentum and heavy expectations. The interview underscored the team’s maturation:

• Their initial stumble against Legacy revealed vulnerabilities — fatigue, over-commitment, and individual lapses.

• Their recovery and path to the final exemplified resilience and a sharpened focus.

• Graviti’s improved fragging + leadership roles signal the team’s deeper evolution from simply being good to being consistent contenders.

Challenges ahead & mindset for the final

Graviti emphasised the need to remain hungry:

“We can’t be satisfied just by getting to the final. We need to pressure ourselves to be better — but without being hard on each other. If someone messes up, we build them up. That’s how we win together.” 

He pointed to the packed LAN schedule, travel, and hours of practice that weigh on players. “This field is stacked. Every team here is strong. The one who keeps the mental game together will win the trophy.” 

What to take away

• Graviti’s dual achievement — thriving individually while leading — is rare in CS, and marks a turning point for 3DMAX.

• The semi-final win over Liquid was less about the opponent and more about 3DMAX mastering their own game: strong starts, resets when needed, and closing out maps decisively.

• The grand final is more than a chance at a trophy — it’s a test of character for a roster finding its identity. If they manage this event, they may well break into the upper-tier echelon of CS2 teams.