The International 2022: Team Secret qualify for Dota 2’s TI11
The TI11 Last Chance qualification saw Team Secret become the first side to qualify for The International 2022. With a 2-0 victory over Virtus Pro, the Western European team won the top bracket of the playoffs.
The victory also cements Clement “Puppey” Ivanov’s historic status as the first Dota 2 player to compete in every edition of The International. This not only means that fans will be able to witness Nisha, Crystallis, and the dynamic combo of Resolut1on and Zayac continue to compete, but it also means that Puppey will be attending his 11th consecutive TI.
FUCK YEAH 🖤 pic.twitter.com/rvDHhWXG0X
— Team Secret (@teamsecret) October 12, 2022
The leader of Team Secret then discussed the team’s battle versus Virtus.pro in the Upper Bracket Finals, as well as his flawless TI attendance and other things. “Even if you qualify and win the third Major, you’re not going to TI,” Puppey spoke of DPC and other topics.
The number of players who have managed to attend every single TI has gradually decreased throughout the years due to a variety of factors such as players retiring or their Dota 2 rosters not holding up to the heightened competition.
WE MADE IT TO THE INTERNATIONAL! 🏴🏳️
What a journey it has been. Thank you for believing in us 🖤#SecretDota #TI11 pic.twitter.com/ofCQRq0hew
— Team Secret (@teamsecret) October 12, 2022
The dubbed “All-Timers” would soon be reduced to Puppey and ex-teammate KuroKy, until TI10, when Puppey became the sole survivor of that elite group.
Puppey remains the only player to have qualified for all editions of The International, thanks to their 2-0 triumph against VP.
He won TI1 with Natus Vincere and subsequently qualified for the following three Dota 2 global championships while representing Ukraine. Puppey continues his TI attendance streak with Secret beginning with TI5. Secret was one of the favourites heading into the TI11 LCQ, and they did not disappoint, posting a respectable record in the group stage before exploding in the playoffs. In the first round, their only real opposition came from Xtreme Gaming, but after beating the seasoned Chinese squad, they swept T1 and VP to end their run.
Team Secret will play again in Singapore when the group stage of TI11 begins on October 15.
