The season is coming to an end, but the interest associated with invites at The International 2019 has almost completely disappeared. Stable performances of VP, Secret and Evil Geniuses throughout the season. Led the community believing that most of the spots for TI will remain undecided before the start of the EPICENTER major. Yet, in Paris, we learned five more teams that will definitely go to China to compete for one of the largest (if not the largest) prize pools in the history of eSports.
Salvation for Liquid
We believe that the Team Liquid fans were quite satisfied after the weekend. Since before the Paris Major they only saw their team fail on the biggest occasions. The side led by Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi took more than eight months to get back to its winning ways. After the defeat from VP in the group stage and Evil Geniuses in the opening playoff match, things seemed quite difficult for the side, but in the Lower Bracket, Liquid got the results that the team really needed.
Kuroky in an interview told that if the team failed to make a strong run in the competition, then the fans should expect roster changes. These words of wisdom worked for the side, since the road to the grand final was not easy for the TI7 champions. But, it was clear that the team was getting stronger with each match. This improvement was not enough for the final meeting with Secret, but if Liquid continues with the same pace, then it is quite possible that the mighty Secret could fall to the EU side.
Kuroky on liquid’s past performance from r/DotA2
Unconvincing Chinese
The Chinese fans will surely be in a good mode since, at least three of their teams will perform at home soil. Of course, they are unlikely to be completely satisfied with this, because the last TI was contested by 5-6 representatives of the Middle Kingdom, but before the tournament in Paris there was not a single Chinese team in the list of invites. Yet it is worrying to see EHOME getting dropped out of the top 12 of the DPC rating since the side did not perform well in the Chinese qualifiers. The mathematics show that, to get an invitation to TI9, EHOME will have to qualify for the EPICENTER and avoid finishing at the last place. Meanwhile, at Keen Gaming the situation is better since it can remain in the top 12, even if they miss the last two tournaments Dota Pro Circuit.
???
Despite a crazy BO3, we didn’t manage to secure the win ? @TeamLiquid ? Our amazing #MDLDisney adventure is now over ?
Our PSG.LGD team ends up 4th and goes back home with $80,000 & 1,350 DPC points ??
?? #ICICESTPARIS pic.twitter.com/81w5t2NltP
— PSG Esports (@PSGeSports) May 11, 2019
NIP and Fnatic cross the finish line
What we all learned from the 2018-2018 DPC, that to get an early invite for TI9, it is not necessary to constantly finish in the top four. This was proven by Ninjas in Pajamas and Fnatic. Both teams did not show outstanding results during the season. Since throughout the campaign, the teams finished once in the top 4 but had fair share of appearances in 6th place. Both NiP and Fnatic will not be world champions. However, this does not negate the fact that they deserve the invites.
