The Riyadh Masters 2025 Dota 2 tournament, a cornerstone event of the Esports World Cup, has officially commenced, bringing together the world`s elite teams to compete for significant prestige and prize money. Among the key early matchups in the group stage is a clash between the reigning TI champions, Team Spirit, and the formidable Chinese squad, Xtreme Gaming. Ahead of this anticipated encounter, Team Spirit`s midlane player, Denis “Larl” Sigitov, offered his perspective on the upcoming series.
Larl recalled the previous meeting between the two teams at PGL Wallachia Season 1 earlier this year. In that series, Team Spirit emerged victorious with a clean 2-0 scoreline. Reflecting on that specific performance, Larl`s assessment was notably direct: he described the match as being “in general, not difficult.”
This straightforward recollection of past dominance sets an intriguing tone for the rematch. However, Larl was careful to balance past performance with present reality. While acknowledging the relative ease of their previous win, he anticipates that Xtreme Gaming will be better prepared for their second encounter at a tournament of Riyadh Masters` magnitude. Despite expecting increased resistance, Larl was quick to affirm his confidence in his own team`s current state, stating that Team Spirit “certainly has not become weaker.”
The group stage match between Team Spirit and Xtreme Gaming is scheduled to take place on July 8th at 12:00 Moscow time. The format for this series is a best-of-two, meaning the outcome will either be a 2-0 win for one team or a 1-1 draw, contributing points towards group standings rather than eliminating a competitor.
Held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 8th to 19th, Riyadh Masters 2025 features a total of 16 participating teams vying for a substantial $3 million prize pool, with the champions taking home $1 million. The group stage serves as the initial phase to determine seeding for the high-stakes playoff bracket.
As Team Spirit navigates the early stages of this premier event, Larl`s comments provide insight into the team`s confidence level and their awareness of their opponent`s potential for improvement. The outcome of this best-of-two series against a top-tier opponent like Xtreme Gaming will offer an early, though not definitive, measure of Team Spirit`s form and readiness to contend for another major title in the 2025 season.
