Virtus.pro suffered an early exit in the Eastern European qualifiers for The International 2024 (TI13).
Eastern Europe has only one spot up for grabs in the regional qualifiers for the upcoming thirteen edition of The International. The region, however, has already two teams directly invited to the tournament set to take place this September in Denmark. Team Spirit, the defending champions, and BetBoom Team have received direct invites based on their results thus far in 2024.
For Virtus.pro, who were one of the biggest surprises at last year’s TI, 2024 was filled with qualifier matches and on the few occasions when they made it to the main events, they failed to seize the opportunity and come out with a satisfactory result. Early eliminations in the group stages of BetBoom Dacha Dubai, DreamLeague Season 22 and Elite League sealed their fate in regards to The International 2024.
- Read also: The International 2024 Closed Qualifiers; South America and Eastern Europe
Top 8 at TI12
Virtus.pro went through qualifier rounds for TI last year as well. They had a clean upper bracket run where they dropped only a game on their way to claiming the only spot for EEU. They entered the battle for the Aegis as a clear underdog and delivered one of the biggest surprises of the tournament by reaching the main stage and placing Top 8 with a roster featuring multiple players at their TI debut.
Since last year, the VP line-up hasn't suffered any major changes. Towards the end of last year, their analyst, Timur "Ahilles" Kulmuhambetov left the team to coach 1win and in May this year, they replaced their position 4 support, Oleg "sayuw" Kalenbet, who went to 9Pandas.
No TI in 2024, but the summer is not entirely ruined
Interestingly enough, 9Pandas were the ones who sent VP in the lower bracket rounds in the TI13 regional qualifiers right from the get-go. They took a clean 2-0 over Virtus.pro in the opening series of the qualifier battle, and while they are currently also in the lower bracket, VP got eliminated in the second round of the knockout series.
It was L1ga Team who got the best out of VP on Sunday to end their TI dream this year.
But although they did not qualify for The International 2024, Virtus.pro are still looking at a busy summer. Earlier this month they clinched a spot at Riyadh Masters 2024, the Dota 2 competition at Esports World Cup. For the organisation, the Esports World Cup might hold much greater importance than The International as they are one of the 30 clubs accepted in the EWC Foundation Club Support Program.
At the end of the Esports World Cup, the Club Championship, which is a cross-game competitive format, will award a total of $20 million to the top 16 clubs based on their cross-game performance. So, for the VP Dota 2 team, the focus will now shift to Riyadh Masters, where they have the opportunity to redeem themselves and salvage everything that might have been lost in the TI13 qualifiers.
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While the TI13 eastern Europe qualifiers continue with six teams left to battle it out for the one ticket to Denmark, Riyadh Masters 2024 is set to commence on the 4th of July in the Saudi Arabia capital.
