Team Secret’s Road to Dota 2’s The International 2022
Team Secret is facing an uphill battle on their road to Dota 2’s The International 2022. Despite placing second in TI11, Secret was relegated from division one and has not participated in a Valve Major since. However, Secret’s captain, Clement “Puppey” Ivanov, remains determined and has jokingly declared war against all odds.
A Challenging Season for Secret
Returning to division one of the Western European Dota Pro Circuit, Secret struggled to secure their first series win of the season. Losing to top teams like Liquid, Gaimin Gladiators, and OG has greatly diminished Secret’s chances of qualifying for the upcoming Major, putting their TI hopes at risk.
Puppey’s Bold Statement
Recognizing Secret’s history of improving placement in TIs, Puppey emphasized that reaching TI in 2023 would be their toughest challenge yet. “I went to [division] two, and I’ve never been to [division] two,” said Puppey. “That means it’s really hard to get to TI, and if I get to TI, they’re messed up.” Puppey playfully blamed the “gambling gods” and took a jab at Valve, suggesting that everyone would bet on Secret to win TI12 if they qualified.
Secret’s Journey Towards TI12
Since 2018, Secret has consistently improved their TI results, finishing fifth in TI8, followed by fourth, third, and second place in subsequent events. These impressive performances led Dota 2 fans to speculate that Secret could potentially win it all if they made it to TI12.
The Challenging Path Ahead
As Puppey mentioned in his interview, qualifying for TI12 will not be easy for Secret. They will have to navigate through regional qualifiers, a process they failed to succeed in last year. In 2022, Secret secured a last-minute ticket through the Last Chance Qualifiers, but it remains uncertain if this option will be available this season.
*keywords: Team Secret, Dota 2, The International 2022, Puppey, division one, Valve Major, Western European, Dota Pro Circuit, TI qualifiers, TI12.