5 teams to look out for at VCT Masters Tokyo 2023
The regional leagues in the VCT circuit have come to a close as the first international tournament of the year, VCT Masters Tokyo 2023, is set to start on June 11, 2023. 12 highly talented teams will travel to Japan in a two-week long competition to decide the world champions of the VCT circuit. The three regions of Americas, EMEA, and Pacific have sent extremely strong representatives.
Some of these teams are a tier above their peers present at this competition. This article will list five such lineups that fans should look out for at VCT Masters Tokyo 2023.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's views.
LOUD, Fnatic, Paper Rex, and two other teams are strong title contenders at VCT Masters Tokyo 2023
1) LOUD
LOUD is the strongest team from the Americas region heading into Masters Tokyo. They were able to complete a flawless run through the brackets stage to clinch the very first VCT Americas title. The Brazilian giants are one of the heavy favorites to win the first international tournmanent of the year.
The team has capable players who can carry a game when they are playing at their best form. The lack of a clear weakness along with superb fundamentals and strategies make LOUD a terrifying opponent. Their ability to win aim duels through pure mechanical talent enables them to have various playstyles to catch their opponents off-guard.
Some players from this team that fans will need to keep an eye out for are Duelist Erick "aspas" Santos and Sentinel Felipe "Less" Basso. LOUD have all the tools at their disposal to become world champions again and VCT Masters Tokyo is the perfect opportunity for them to showcase what they are truly capable of.
2) Fnatic
Fnatic have looked like the most dominant team in the world ever since the start of the 2023 VCT Season. They were able to win the LOCK//IN tournament and become world champions. The team then proceeded to go undefeated in the regular season before losing their first series against Team Liquid in the Grand Finals.
The team has exceptional talent across every role and look downright unstoppable at times. Notable names include renowned Duelist Nikita "Derke" Sirmitev and two-time world champion Timofey "Chronicle" Khromov.
Despite this blip in the radar, Fnatic have the opportunity at Masters Tokyo to become the first ever back-to-back champion in the history of VCT. They are still one of the big favorites to win the entire tournament.
3) Team Liquid
Team Liquid were dubbed as a superteam heading into the 2023 VCT season. They disappointed fans in LOCK//IN, but were able to rapidly improve their teamwork to have a fairly strong regular season in EMEA.
Team Liquid transformed their game in the bracket stage and looked like a completely revamped roster, with every individual having great moments. This was enough for Team Liquid to pull off the upset against Fnatic in the Grand Finals to become the first VCT EMEA champions. There were exceptional performances from players such as Saif "Sayf" Jibraeel and Elias "Jamppi" Olkonnen.
Team Liquid have hit their peak form at the right time. The EMEA champions have a very good chance of translating their regional success at Masters Tokyo and are an extremely strong lineup for any opponent to face.
4) Paper Rex
Paper Rex have been a pleasant surprise for many fans. The addition of Ilya "something" Petrov has made the Pacific roster a force to be reckoned with. The team has always been known for its unique and chaotic playstyle, and continues to employ this in the gameplans to great effect.
The team has incredible mechanical talent and showcased great mental resilience in their reverse sweep against DRX to become the inaugural VCT Pacific champions. Jason "f0rsakeN" Susanto and Wang "Jinggg" Jing Jie are other notable names in this star-studded roster.
Paper Rex are sure to bring their exciting gameplay at Masters Tokyo. They have also proved that their playstyle is something that has to be respected. This gives them a very good chance to have a shot at the title if their opponents fail to anti-strat them effectively.
5) DRX
DRX is one of the most consistent teams in the history of VCT. The Korean powerhouse has attended almost every major international tournament and put up respectable results captivating the hearts of many fans with their mentality of never giving up no matter the situation. They have exceptional strategies and are one of the best anti-stratting teams in the world.
The team's core has largely remained the same, but has gone through a few minor changes. Controller player Kim "MaKo" Myeong-kwan and Yu "BuZz" Byung-chul are highly talented and smart professionals, capable of taking over a game on their own.
DRX once again come into this tournament as a very strong team. Fans, however, do not expect them to walk home with the title. The Koreans have the perfect chance to rewrite their history and prove the doubters wrong at Masters Tokyo.
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Abu Amjad Khan