Interview with Tundra Esports' Nine: "I am very blessed to have Saksa and Aui as my coaches"

Interview with Tundra Esports Nine as they head to Seattle for The International 2023 (TI12).

In the last couple of years, the Dota 2 scene has undergone a major shakeup.

A lot of the old guard has been left behind, and new teams have taken over.

Thank you for taking the time to talk with us, Nine!

Is the team on a break after DreamLeague Season 21, or are you at a bootcamp?Hello!

When do you plan on travelling to the US?

For that reason, I would say there isnt a burden on our shoulders.

However, our options were very limited and we wanted to have someone who is comfortable playing at TI.

Topias Topson Taavitsainen was an obvious choice, so we contacted him and made it happen!

Do you and Topson discuss the mid role, or even play against each other to practice matchups?

It must be an advantage to have two of the best mids in the game in one team!

We do not talk about the mid role too much.

Obviously, if he wants my opinion on something, I can share my thoughts.

With the switch to position 4, my main focus is continuing to learn my new role.

How do you like your switch to the position 4 role?

What is the biggest change in mentality that you have had to undergo while making this switch?

The biggest change in mentality is that I am in a support role now.

Saksa mentioned on the We Say Things podcast that he helps the team analyze replays.

How much has he helped in your transition to the position 4 role?

They teach me a lot and when I feel lost.

They help me understand my role in the game.

I need to speed run this role, so I take all help that is given to me.

The DPC has been scrapped for the next season.

What are your thoughts on that?

I really disliked the DPC as a player, so I am very happy about that.

The seasons were just very slow and boring, always ending in tiebreakers anyway.

What do you think of the new TI format?

Both, the group stages and the entire tournament.

Breaks can interrupt a lot of momentum, which is bad for winning teams.

However, it can also give more time to the losing teams to figure things out.

Overall, it might lead to a more balanced competition because of that.

Personally, I dislike the idea of having breaks in the tournament, as it can be very distracting.

I just want to focus on the tournament and play.

Dota 2 patch 7.34 was released a couple of months ago.

Any big changes that you really like?

Has the game improved from Dota 2 patch 7.33?

Patch 7.34 seems more interesting to me.

The biggest change that I really like is the Drafting Order.

Teams have to figure out the best way of drafting.

Do you think patch 7.34 is a good patch for TI?

Other than that, the patch is good!