Maelstorm: "Riyadh Masters is a tournament you want to win, but it can't yet compare to TI"

Commentator Vladimir "Maelstorm" Kuzminov compared Riyadh Masters 2024 and The International 2024 in Dota 2. In his opinion, the tournament in Saudi Arabia is not as prestigious as TI.

"Considering that the prize pool for Riyadh Masters wasn't as large as, for example, last year, it's still comparable to The International. When the prize pools are equalized, the title itself takes precedence. I think Riyadh is a tournament you definitely want to win, but it can't yet compare to TI. So, TI is number one."

"When it comes to Riyadh Masters, I expect to see a tournament that is better than the last one, just as the previous one surpassed the one before it. That means a bigger stage and, of course, excellent team performance and really great 'Dota,' serving as a proper season finale," Vladimir "Maelstorm" Kuzminov said.

Previously, Kuzminov was outraged by Virtus.pro's statement following their failure in the qualifiers for The International 2024. He was surprised that the club hinted at disbanding the roster, even though they qualified for the Riyadh Masters 2024.

Riyadh Masters 2024 will take place from July 4 to 21 in Saudi Arabia. Teams will compete for a $5 million prize pool. The matches will be commented on by the FUSSIRE studio, which has secured rights until 2026. You can find the list of tournament participants in the material below.