So far, The International 11 has been a whirlwind for Chinese Dota 2 fans.
Not only was their nation dethroned for having the highest number of players representing their country for the first time in the event’s history, but the teams have had some ups and downs in the group stage.
Royal Never Give Up is sitting in second in Group A with nine wins and three losses while tournament favorites PSG.LGD is sitting in third with eight wins and four losses.
Team Aster, the third and final Chinese team, and the only one in Group B, is sitting in top spot with eight wins and two losses at the glittering Dota 2 tourney.
This is excellent on paper. But, Chinese fans had their hearts in their mouths on the first day of the event—mostly due to PSG.LGD having an unexpectedly poor start with two wins and four losses. To make matters worse, they were also heavily penalized for not notifying Valve that their general manager tested positive for COVID-19.
They lost priority selection in their series against RNG. But, it didn’t end up being an issue, though. They made quick work of their rivals, beating them two to zero.
They’re not out of the woods yet, though. They’ll also have no drafting reserve time against wildcards BOOM and Gaimin Gladiators, who they face later today.
Despite that, things are panning out quite well for the Chinese teams as they look to bring the Aegis back to their nation for the first time since Wings Gaming did at The International 6.
That can change in a heartbeat, though. It’ll be interesting to see if their hot streak continues in the final two days of the group stage.
After that, they’ll have a day’s rest to catch their breath.
Dota 2’s The International 11 playoffs don’t kick off until Thursday, Oct. 20.
