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Two popular content creators in the Valorant space, Ludwig and tarik, have joined forces with the support of Riot Games to host the Ludwig x Tarik Invitational. Boasting a rather inviting prize pool of $50,000, this two-day LAN event features four renowned Valorant rosters in contention for the winner's cheque and a major boost of confidence ahead of the 2023 VCT season.
Day 1 of the Ludwig x Tarik Invitational is underway, with the four participating teams engaging in a double-elimination bracket. The second matchup of the day will be a best-of-three encounter between two of North America's most popular Valorant organizations, Sentinels and TSM. The winner will face the winner of T1 vs The Guard later today in the Upper Bracket Finals.
Sentinels vs TSM: Who will win their opening match and advance to the Upper Bracket Finals of Ludwig x Tarik Valorant Invitational?
Predictions
Sentinels and TSM reigned over North American Valorant back when the game kicked off in 2020. However, both teams have come a long way since then. TSM hasn't seen regional or international success since their second-place finish at First Strike: North America in December 2020.
Sentinels, on the other hand, had a brief streak of success in the 2021 season, winning the NA Stage 1 Masters and Stage 2 Masters: Reykjavik. Their success, however, was short-lived as the roster soon fell off, failing to be the best in the region they once dominated.
In this upcoming matchup at the Ludwig x Tarik Invitational, Sentinels will field their revamped six-man roster for 2023, featuring just two members from their old team, TenZ and SicK. The remaining positions in the team will be filled by former XSET players like dephh and zekken, and the reigning VCT Champions winners, Sacy and pANcada, from the Brazilian team, LOUD.
TenZ and SicK were notably the most mechanically skilled players from the old Sentinels roster. With the two paired with young, gifted talents like zekken and pANcada, and esports veterans like Sacy and dephh, Sentinels appear to be on the right track to success.
TSM has struggled to find success in recent times. However, after being pushed down to the tier-2 Valorant Challengers League (VCL), TSM made notable changes to their roster. Hazed's return guarantees the team a good in-game leader, while the arrival of a flexible player like NaturE bolsters the team's potential to adapt in dire situations.
The remaining players on TSM's roster were those who were retained from the 2022 season. Although corey, seven, and gMd failed to make their mark the previous season, their individual efforts have been incredible, and they have the potential to stand out in the 2023 NA VCL.
All things considered, Sentinels has the advantage in this matchup. Although TSM's roster has had more experience competing together as a team, Sentinels' individual prowess, experience on the big stage, and level of adaptability are expected to give them the upper hand in this best-of-three matchup.
Head-to-head
Sentinels and TSM were two of North America's most consistent Valorant rosters in the early days of the game, and as a result, have faced each other a total of seven times. However, all seven of their encounters were in 2020, with their most recent matchup being in December 2020.
Fans of both teams have been eagerly waiting for this matchup since the two organizations haven't played against each other in over two years. Considering the roster currently fielded by both teams, Valorant enthusiasts have an exciting matchup to look forward to.
Recent results
Both Sentinels and TSM have not played any official matches in 2023. Sentinels' current roster is yet to play their first match together. TSM's current roster, on the other hand, recently competed in the Knights Freezout tournament, where they managed to finish as the runners-up. They have won five out of the six matches they've played together and have a 100% win-rate in Bo3s.
Potential lineups
Sentinels
- Tyson "TenZ" Ngo
- Zachary "zekken" Patrone
- Gustavo "Sacy" Rossi
- Bryan "pANcada" Luna
- Rory "dephh" Jackson (IGL)
- Hunter "SicK" Mims
- Don "SykkoNT" Muir (Coach)
TSM
- Johann "seven" Hernandez
- Corey "corey" Nigra
- Anthony "gMd" Guimond
- James "hazed" Cobb (IGL)
- Nicholas "NaturE" Garrison
- Jacob "Daeda" Hale (Coach)
Where to watch
Viewers worldwide can tune into the Ludwig x Tarik Valorant Invitational by heading over to either Ludwig's YouTube channel (@ludwig) or Tarik's Twitch profile. Sentinels will take on TSM in a decisive best-of-three battle on January 14, 2023, at 1 pm PST/ 10 pm CET/ 2.30 am IST (the next day).
