Justinas “jL” Lekavičius returns to tier 1 Counter-Strike this month as a stand-in for Team Vitality. The PGL Copenhagen Major MVP will substitute for William “mezii” Merriman at BLAST Open Porto 2026 and for Dan “apEX” Madesclaire at Starladder Starseries Fall 2026, with both core players taking paternity leave.
Following his departure from NAVI in 2025, jL has maintained his presence in the competitive circuit through temporary stints with MOUZ and Team Liquid. He now joins Team Vitality to fulfill a specific career objective.
Fulfilling a career goal alongside ZywOo
Team Vitality initiated contact well before the Esports World Cup. The Lithuanian player explained that accepting the offer was an easy decision, driven by his ambition to return to the highest level of competition.
I had no better option,” jL stated. “I wanted to be playing in tier one and I had a dream in my life to play with three players. There was s1mple, ZywOo, and ropz. I have one under the belt. So, ZywOo and ropz are the next ones.
Declaring peak performance in 2025 and 2026
Despite his time away from a permanent starting roster, jL expressed high confidence in his current mechanical ability. When asked about his shape, he provided a direct assessment of his individual level.
I’d say throughout 2025 and 2026, this is my peak performance, like peak form,” he explained. “It’s very ambitious to say that I’m better than 2024, but I wouldn’t say I am, only officials can tell. But right now I’m in a comfortable position to play sort of my roles in a team that I trust.
He acknowledged that his reactions to the current meta might require slight adjustments, but he expects regular practice and official matches to resolve any timing issues.
Adapting to different roster structures
The team has had limited preparation time, completing only five practice maps prior to BLAST Open Porto 2026 due to the core squad needing a break following the Esports World Cup. Practice schedules will intensify before their first official match. jL maintains realistic expectations regarding his impact on the server.
I’m not a lifechanging player,” he said. “I’m not ZywOo, I’m not NiKo, I’m not donk, but I am a good vibe. I’m a reliable player in the late round. And if I can just get the best parts of mezii and me, we could do very good.
The stand-in period requires jL to adjust to two distinct team configurations. At BLAST Open Porto, he will directly replace mezii. Filling in for in-game leader apEX at Starladder Starseries Fall will introduce different tactical requirements. For that event, mezii will assume the in-game leader role, forcing the team to redistribute his usual map control positions.
Closing the door on NAVI
With his former team NAVI currently exploring roster options, community speculation has suggested a potential reunion. The major winner provided a definitive answer regarding a return to his previous organization.
No, I didn’t leave to come back,” he concluded.
See the full interview below.
