The TI11 Grand Finals: Tundra Esports the Favorite to Win it All
The highly anticipated TI11 grand finals are just around the corner, and the top four teams are gearing up to compete for the prestigious Aegis trophy and the title of TI champion. Surprisingly, this year’s tournament has seen unexpected outcomes, leaving viewers’ predictions in shambles. As time goes on, both players and viewers are increasingly favoring Tundra Esports as the frontrunner to claim victory in the grand finals.
Tundra Esports has truly shown their dominance in the Dota 2 scene, surpassing Team Secret, Team Liquid, and Team Aster. Led by Oliver “skiter” Lepko, Leon “Nine” Kirilin, Neta “33” Shapira, Martin “Saksa” Sazdov, and captain Wu “Sneyking” Jingjun, this powerhouse team has outmatched their opponents and solidified their place in the top three this year.
In an interview with GosuGamers, the Tundra Esports team sat down to discuss their journey through TI11 and their current feelings about it. When asked about their adaptation to the ever-changing meta, 33 expressed that many teams become too fixated on meta picks. Tundra Esports came into this tournament with a plan to play to their strengths and draft accordingly, regardless of how the meta shifts.
Their comfort picks have undeniably played a crucial role in their success. For instance, 33’s Doom has consistently outperformed his lane opponents using appropriate neutral creeps with Devour, allowing him to scale up and become a late-game threat with Aghanim’s Scepter.
The entire team echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that while the meta has influenced their drafting strategies, they remain committed to playing to their strengths. Nine highlighted Shadow Fiend as an example, pointing out how the hero excelled in the group stages but struggled to secure wins on the main stage. As heroes become more prevalent in the meta, good teams find counterplays, which is why sticking to their own game plan has been the best approach for Tundra Esports.
Nine also mentioned that they felt somewhat overlooked in the early stages of the tournament, which actually worked to their advantage by alleviating some pressure. Despite reaching the top three, the team hasn’t fully grasped the magnitude of their achievement. However, they remain confident and determined to ride the wave of success all the way to becoming the TI champion.