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Upper Bracket Teams(Group A)
Team Liquid - The defending champions didn't disappoint at all and ploughed through the group stage. Without losing a single BO2 Liquid dropped just 3 games and qualified to the Upper Brackets with a record of 13-3. I had them as favorites to top the group and top the group they did.
Evil Geniuses - Surprising everyone, EG performed just like the old days and disposed of every top team in the world with ease. Losing a BO2 only to Team Liquid and dropping just 1 map except that, they finished the group with a 13-3 record and qualified for the Upper Brackets just as I predicted.
PSG.LGD Gaming - The strongest Chinese team in the tournament, PSG.LGD had somewhat of a disappointing run as people, including me, expected them to top the group. However, they did qualify for the upper brackets with a record of 11-5.
Orgless Gaming - OG surprised everybody. Having the worst year in their existence and having a reputation of under-performing at TI, nobody expected OG to make it to the Upper Bracket. Even I predicted OG to secure a Lower Bracket spot. But they proved all doubters wrong and managed to grab the final Upper Bracket spot with a record of 9-7.
Upper Bracket Teams(Group B)
VGJ.Storm - Now let me be clear. Nobody expected VGJ.Storm to make it to The International. They weren't even expected to be here. Now they are in the Upper Brackets as the position 1 seed. They surprised everybody as they pulled upset over upset and qualified with a record of 12-4 atop Group B. Although I speculated they might make the Upper Bracket, I didn't expect them to top the group as well.
Virtus.Pro - VP's form is worrying. They were supposed to be the strongest team in the entire tournament. Their record of 10-6 speaks otherwise. Although they qualified to the upper brackets, people expected more from them. I had them as the group topper but they qualified to the upper brackets nonetheless.
Team Secret - Secret found themselves in a 3-way tie after the group stage. In the 3 way tiebreaker against Newbee and Optic, they beat Newbee to successfully qualify to the Upper Brackets as Newbee lost to Optic as well making Secret and Optic the winners of the tiebreaker. They had a record of 8-8 and matched my prediction of Upper Bracket qualification.
Optic Gaming - The third team in the 3 way tie, they beat Newbee as well to find themselves in the Upper Bracket. I took a gamble by predicting that Optic will qualify to the Upper Brackets and so they did with a record of 8-8.
