VALORANT Champions Tour North America Masters One: Top Teams that Didn’t Qualify
The VALORANT Champions Tour North America Masters One event is fast approaching and the top eight teams have already secured their spots in the year’s first major tournament. However, there are several other teams that have unfortunately failed to qualify.
TSM: A Surprising Missed Opportunity
TSM is perhaps the most surprising team that didn’t make it to Masters One. Despite finishing in second place at First Strike North America, many believed they would have another shot at the next significant event.
With a roster of CS:GO veterans who have adapted well to VALORANT, TSM won multiple events and performed decently at the PAX Arena Invitational. However, they hit a roadblock at First Strike and failed to regain their momentum.
Although they didn’t qualify for the first two Challengers events, TSM finally made it to the main event at Challengers Three. Unfortunately, they were eliminated by Luminosity in the series, showing their ongoing struggles.
NRG: A Middle-of-the-Pack Team with Potential
NRG made it to the Challengers One Main Event but couldn’t secure a victory against Gen.G in their first match. While they didn’t qualify for the Challengers Two Main Event, they did manage to make it to Challengers Three.
Featuring former CS:GO players like Damien “daps” Steele and Sam “s0m” oh, NRG has consistently been a middle-of-the-pack team. However, they finished the Challengers Three Qualifier in first place, showing their potential.
Although NRG fell short of qualifying for Masters One, they still possess raw talent that almost got them there.
T1: A Promising Roster in Need of Improvement
T1 has assembled a roster of former CS:GO and Overwatch professionals with years of experience, leading many to believe they would be a dominant force. However, they failed to make the top three at First Strike and qualify for Masters One.
After going through roster changes following First Strike, T1 failed to qualify in Challengers One. Nevertheless, they performed well in a Challengers Qualifier and finished first in the Challengers Three Qualifier. Unfortunately, 100 Thieves eliminated them in the upper quarterfinals, sending another talented team home.
While T1’s lackluster performance is not a permanent setback, there is definite room for improvement going forward.
The VALORANT Champions Tour North America Masters One begins on Thursday, March 11.