Tundra Esports ‘anticipated exhausting video games’ at TI11 ‘however they simply by no means actually got here’

Western European juggernauts Tundra Esports had probably the most dominant championship runs in Dota 2 historical past throughout The Worldwide 11 (TI11) again in October in Singapore.

On their approach to elevating the Aegis of Champions and claiming the US$8.5 million grand prize, Tundra by no means misplaced a single match and solely dropped 5 video games; 4 within the Group Stage and only one within the Most important Occasion. They capped off their victory march with a resounding 3-0 sweep over Team Secret in the Grand Finals.

It was solely the second time {that a} TI Grand Last resulted in a 3-0 sweep, with the primary being Group Liquid’s sweep over Newbee in TI7.

In a press convention held on Wednesday (23 November), Tundra offlaner Neta “33” Shapira mentioned they anticipated exhausting video games within the finals “however apparently the exhausting video games simply by no means actually got here”.

“You all the time need to plan for a extremely exhausting collection, clearly we additionally watched Group Secret come from the decrease bracket so they’d momentum on their facet,” mentioned 33.

“Even after the primary and second video games, we all the time saved telling ourselves, ‘Guys, we gained this recreation as a result of we had the higher draft, we had the higher this and that, it would not matter. Anticipate a tough recreation subsequent time’. We anticipated exhausting video games, yeah, however apparently the exhausting video games simply by no means actually got here.”

Carry participant Oliver “skiter” Lepko and place 4 assist Martin “Saksa” Sazdov echoed their offlaners’ sentiments. Skiter mentioned he anticipated the finals to be “nearer than it was” whereas Saksa mentioned the crew “by no means actually thought of successful” at the same time as they have been on the cusp of final victory.

“I anticipated the finals to be nearer than it was. For me, personally, I loved different collection we performed within the match greater than the finals,” mentioned skiter.

“Within the Most important Occasion, truthfully, a lot of the video games did not really feel that robust. It was simply easy crusing,” added Saksa. “Throughout the entire competitors we by no means actually thought of successful. Even within the third recreation of the finals whereas we have been successful, we have been simply centered on the sport itself.”

Story continues

Tundra’s gamers admitted they discovered extra satisfaction in a few of their earlier matches of the Most important Occasion, even when they did sweep these ones too.

The crew opened the Most important Occasion by sweeping regional rivals OG, made short work of Chinese powerhouse Team Aster, then defeated Secret, 2-1, in the upper bracket finals to punch their ticket to the Grand Finals.

“Our collection in opposition to OG within the higher bracket was probably the most enjoyable collection of the match,” mentioned Tundra midlaner Leon “9” Kirilin.

“We weren’t actually successful these video games within the laning stage and I used to be simply taking part in one among my favorite heroes, Spirit Breaker. That is how I all the time imagined how I’ll play at TI, having enjoyable with my crew, and that is how that recreation felt like.”

“To me, personally, I felt the sport probably the most in these two collection [versus OG and Aster]. I will always remember about these 4 video games as a result of I feel I performed my greatest in these collection. I feel our stage of play was the best then, not less than mine was,” added skiter.

Placing within the work

However make no mistake, Tundra’s dominance at TI11 was the results of a rollercoaster season and a year-long grind to arrange for the largest match within the recreation.

All through the 2021-2022 Dota Professional Circuit (DPC) season, Tundra have been one of many strongest groups in Western European regional league — which we now know is by far the most effective within the circuit.

The eventual TI champions completed third within the Winter Tour, fourth within the Spring Tour, and first within the Summer season Tour.

However the season did not come with out its challenges for Tundra.

Regardless of coming in as heavy favourites within the ESL One Stockholm Main, they solely completed in third place.

They then seemingly crumbled within the tournaments main as much as TI11, ending Seventh-Eighth on the Riyadh Masters 2022 and Fifteenth-Sixteenth on the PGL Arlington Main.

Tundra by no means thought that the difficulty was with their gameplay or methods, in any case, they’d a number of the brightest and most modern minds of their roster. As an alternative, they fell aside as a result of their psychological recreation could not deal with the strain.

Due to that, Tundra centered on bettering their mentality forward of TI11 and worked with a sports psychologist.

“I feel it is an accumulation of data gathered over the course of the time we have performed on this roster collectively. It is like a machine that you just carry on constructing on, with every loss and win, you attempt to repair and enhance it going into the long run,” mentioned skiter.

“After which once we have been performed constructing the machine we centered on the psychological side after which throughout TI, we already put in a lot work and a lot time, so we have been all like, ‘Let’s simply see the way it goes’. And apparently we did an excellent job.”

Tundra’s stronger psychological recreation, apart from serving to them fight the overwhelming strain of taking part in in Dota 2’s greatest stage, additionally empowered their gameplay. In line with 33, Tundra have been all the time assured that their drafts and techniques have been all the time superior.

“[Our victory] was primarily as a result of we bought drafts we have been actually comfy with. A minimum of, for me, I all the time had my greatest consolation heroes, so I felt like the sport was below management even once we have been barely behind at some factors. We have been so assured in our drafts that we weren’t frightened in any respect,” mentioned 33.

For Tundra coach Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling, successful the Aegis by sweeping Secret of all groups solely affirms all of the exhausting work the crew put in.

“I used to be actually joyful successful in opposition to Secret and Clement “Puppey” Ivanov within the Grand Finals as a result of, for me, Secret has all the time been my favourite crew. Puppey can be my private choose because the G.O.A.T. (best of all time) of Dota, so I am actually proud that my gamers might take this crew down and it was actually insane watching them develop all through the match,” mentioned Aui_2000.

An Aegis raised, a dream made actual

And as soon as Tundra compelled the ultimate GG name from Secret, with the fireworks exploding round them and the group roaring in celebration, the gamers mentioned they have been overwhelmed with feelings.

“I felt over the moon, I used to be so blissful and joyful that we have gained,” mentioned crew captain Jingjun “Sneyking” Wu.

“I feel what successful TI meant in entrance of the entire crowd was it proved that every one the years you’ve got spent within the recreation, working towards and coaching exhausting for this second, was not performed in useless and we have been lastly in a position to show ourselves. That is the most effective feeling you may get from any aggressive sport.”

“Actually I used to be very overwhelmed by successful. I did not actually perceive every little thing that was occurring as a result of all of it occurred so quick,” mentioned 9.

“It is identical to you performed for this second for therefore a few years, after which when it occurred, I felt like was nonetheless taking part in. I used to be simply overwhelmed and it was exhausting to know, truthfully, it took some time earlier than I actually understood what was occurring.”

“The sensation that you are the greatest crew on the planet, and subsequently probably the greatest gamers as effectively, it is surreal,” added skiter.

For 33 and Saksa, elevating the Aegis was as soon as only a seemingly-impossible dream they’ve been working in the direction of all through their complete careers. Having it develop into a actuality was merely a dream come true.

“It is superb, it is what you’re employed in the direction of for just about your complete Dota profession. It is like a distant dream, I all the time thought it was like, “Yeah, that is the aim.” However it’s virtually unimaginable. You had 20 groups at TI11 and just one will get to win, it all the time seems unreal to me. It is like a dream come true and it was a tremendous feeling,” mentioned 33.

“It is one thing we have all been striving for within the final 10 years, possibly much more. So I suppose one of the best ways to explain it’s that it is a dream come true for all of us,” added Saksa.

For Aui_2000, who had already gained the Aegis as a participant at TI5, “there’s nothing fairly like” seeing his gamers increase their very own Aegis understanding all that they needed to undergo to get thus far.

“It is an accumulation of a whole yr’s exhausting work in Dota. You get to compete at TI, and to win it affirms all that arduous work,” mentioned Aui_2000.

“I am a coach so it is a bit completely different than being a participant, however attending to see your gamers raise [the Aegis of Champions] is a unique feeling since you’re so happy with them and what they achieved. There’s nothing fairly prefer it.”

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