European Dota 2 organization, Tundra Esports, has encountered unexpected problems ahead of the main tournament of the year, The International 2024. Due to visa difficulties, the team's main support Edgar “9Class” Naltakian will not be able to participate in the tournament. He will be replaced by former Tundra player and TI champion Martin “Saksa” Sazdov.

Saksa is not just an experienced player, but one of the players who brought Team Tundra to victory at The International in 2022. His return could be a key factor in the team's performance in the upcoming tournament.

History and context

The problems began when 9Class, a Russian national, ran into serious difficulties in obtaining a visa to enter Denmark, where The International is being held this year. As a result, Tundra Esports was forced to find a last-minute replacement. Saksa, who was the team's main player in 2022, was the only available option. He left the active roster in September 2023, taking a break for health reasons and moving to the bench.

Since leaving Tundra's main roster, Saksa has participated in smaller tournaments with Team Bald, but hasn't had much success. They even qualified for The International 2024, but lost to Quest Esports in the early stages.

Details of the replacement

The decision to replace was made amidst growing visa issues. Saksa, despite his departure from Tundra's main roster last year, decided to support his former team at a difficult time. Interestingly, Tundra's roster has changed a lot since his departure - no one from those who won TI in 2022 is in the team anymore. The roster is currently led by Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko and Topias “Topson” Taavistainen, which makes Saksa's return even more interesting.

Conclusion

Saksa's return to the Tundra Esports lineup ahead of The International 2024 was an unexpected twist ahead of the main tournament of the year. The move could play a key role in the team's performance given the player's experience and skills. Tundra Esports will have the daunting task of adapting to the changes in the lineup and trying to raise Aegis winners again.