The last two quarter-final matches of the Paris Major will be held today, May 19th, before going into an exciting weekend.
The Paris Major has been an exhilarating experience thus far, characterized by several unexpected outcomes. Head Analyst and part of the Coaching Team, Nicolai "Hunden" Petersen, shares his insights about the tournament and what he expects from the playoffs.
Six observations from Hunden on the BLAST.TV Paris Major
Which teams have surprised you the most in the tournament so far?
- Several teams have performed well in the Major.
- Especially a number of the international rosters have impressed, with Apeks and GamerLegion as the biggest surprises.
- Despite GamerLegion's poor rehearsal in the Brazy Party 2023 tournament, the biggest surprises must be Apeks and GamerLegion. Apeks, on the other hand, had a decent showing just before the Major, but have dominated their opponents in Paris so far, which to me, is impressive.
Who has performed the best?
- Vitality has looked the best.
- Their entire #RoadToParis has paid off. They are peaking right now and went 3-0 in the group stage.
It will be exciting to see if Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen can win his 5th Major and become the most successful player in CS:GO history.
Who, on the other hand, has disappointed you the most?
- It has to be Mouz.
- I've read in several interviews that people have been beaten in practice against Mouz. We have more or less had Mouz as one of our main training partners, and when I came back in early 2023, Mouz looked like a team that would soon be among the best in the world.
- That didn't turn out as I expected.
Which players have performed the best?
- It has to be Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut (Vitality) and Ivan "iM" Mihai (GamerLegion).
- ZywOo lives up to being one of the best in the world. He has been the best player throughout 2023 and started the Major's group stage at the same high level.
- Can he maintain that level when his family, friends, and the whole of France cheer for him? I believe so, and I hope so!
What is your prediction for who will reach the final?
- It will likely be Vitality and Heroic.
Is there anything new in the meta specific for this Major?
- The T sides, especially on Inferno, and the skill level we have seen have caught my attention the most in this Major.
- Many teams have cracked the code 100 percent, and Inferno has almost become a Terrorist map.
- It has been a fun Major to watch from the outside, and it's really like, "Now I have seen it all." I think we're ready for CS2 to be released very soon!
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