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NS Reacts To Bali Major 2023 Grouping: “Group A Looks Like Nursery Pool”

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NS Reacts To Bali Major 2023 Grouping: “Group A Looks Like Nursery Pool”

RuHub analyst Yaroslav Vladimirovich “NS” Kuznetsov believes the Bali Major 2023 Group A will not be an interesting watch due to the lack of competition 

After the announcement of the groupings for the Bali Major 2023, Yaroslav Vladimirovich “NS” Kuznetsov, a former professional and currently an analyst, shared his thoughts on the matter. He took to Telegram to express his disappointment about Group A. Although he believes Group B will be exciting to watch, Group A seems less interesting to him due to the absence of prominent teams.

In his words:

“Group B looks like proper Esports, Group A is a nursery pool.”

Gaimin Gladiators are the favorites to top Group B as the WEU giants enter the competition eyeing a third successive Major triumph. They will mark Evil Geniuses as one of their biggest challenges in the group. 

The US-Peruvian side are the current DPEC SA champions. While they have a handful of Tier 1 trophies in their cabinet, their last significant victory was at the 2016 Manila Masters. Evil Geniuses did not win big trophies in recent times, but they have been steadily improving in Major tournaments. They achieved a 9-12th place finish at the PGL Arlington Major last year, followed by a 5-6th place finish at the Lima Major. Continuing their upward trajectory, EG clinched fourth place at the Berlin Major. As they head to Bali, they are determined to maintain their progress and make a strong bid for the championship.

PSG.LGD can also give the Gaimin Gladiators a run for their money. The China DPC giants won the Riyadh Masters last year and enter the competition hot on the heels of a regional tour title. They are also performing great in the ongoing DreamLeague Season 20. 

Although 9 Pandas, BetBoom Team, and Quest Esports may not have an extensive collection of trophies like the previously mentioned teams, their recent performances indicate that they have the potential to exceed expectations. 9 Pandas achieved a third-place finish in the Berlin Major, BetBoom Team has been one of the standout performers in DreamLeague Season 20, and Quest Esports secured a third-place finish in DPC WEU Tour 3 Division I, which is widely regarded as the most fiercely competitive regional tour in the world. 

Group A also have some big names and Shopify Rebellion is definitely one of the headliners there. The North American giants, however, crashed out of DreamLeague Season 20 Group Stage I right before the tournament. WEU powerhouse Tundra Esports also crashed out of the DreamLeague Season 20 Group Stages and performed well below expectations in PGL Arlington Major 2022 and Lima Major 2023.

Although they showed some improvement with a 5th-6th place finish in the Berlin Major, Tundra fans are understandably uncertain about their chances in the upcoming Bali Major, considering their previous struggles in DreamLeague. On the other hand, Team Liquid, the runner-ups in DreamLeague Season 19 and Berlin Major 2023, will enter the competition with a greater sense of confidence. Evil Geniuses did not mount a title challenge in Tier One competitions for years. Invictus Gaming won the Singapore Major in 2021, but a 17th-18th Berlin Major finish might take a severe toll on their self-belief. 

Team Aster caught the eye with their impressive performances in several top-tier tournaments lately, but their form in recent weeks have been largely inconsistent. The likes of beastcoast, Blacklist International, and Execration do show promise on paper, but it remains to be seen how they perform as underdogs.

NS Reacts To Bali Major 2023 Grouping: “Group A Looks Like Nursery Pool”
The News One