Top Esports Secures Second Consecutive Demacia Cup Victory
Top Esports emerged victorious once again at the Demacia Cup, defeating FunPlus Phoenix in the Grand Finals of the Chinese League of Legends tournament. The event, which features all 17 LPL teams along with four amateur teams and three LDL squads, takes place during the offseason.
Although Top Esports had a smooth path through the knockout stage, their opponents in the grand finals proved to be tougher competition. After losing the first two games of the series, Top Esports made an impressive comeback and reverse-swept FunPlus Phoenix to win the tournament with a final score of 3-2. The team’s jungler, Gao “Tian” Tian-Liang, was named the MVP for his exceptional performance against his former team.
As per the tournament rules, the four LPL teams that represented the region at Worlds 2021 received a bye to the quarterfinals. Since Top Esports did not make it to Worlds this year, they had to go through the Cup’s group stage, where they secured a spot in the playoffs by defeating Team WE.
In the quarterfinals, Top Esports faced off against Royal Never Give Up, who put up a strong fight against the current world champions, EDward Gaming, during Worlds 2021. However, Top Esports easily defeated Royal Never Give Up with a 3-0 victory, advancing to the semifinals against 2018 World Champions Invictus Gaming. They continued their dominance with another 3-0 win, securing their place in the grand finals.
The Demacia Cup is the final tournament of the year and the first of the new season. Fans often look to this tournament to identify potential contenders for the Spring Split title. While some non-LPL teams participate, the championship has only been won by teams within the region.
Since its inception in 2013, only a few organizations have claimed victory at the Demacia Cup. Reigning world champions EDward Gaming have been the most successful, but Top Esports has now claimed the title for the past two years. Despite a less consistent performance in the last regular season, fans may expect surprises from Top Esports in the upcoming first split of 2022.