9Pandas Part Ways with Antares Ahead of Elite League

In a surprising turn of events, Eastern European powerhouse, 9Pandas, has announced a major shake-up in its roster. With the Elite League just around the corner, the team revealed it's parting ways with Vladislav "Antares" Kertman, its position four player.

This unexpected news was dropped on the fans via the organization's official Telegram channel on March 27th, leaving many to speculate on the timing and reasons behind this decision.

Antares Leaves 9Pandas Ahead of Elite League

On 27^th March 2024, 9Pandas took to Telegram and officially announced it was parting ways with its long-time position four support, Antares.

According to the announcement, the decision to separate was made mutually, indicating that there were no hard feelings between Antares and the rest of the team. The organization took the opportunity to laud Antares for his time with the team, particularly highlighting his expertise with iconic heroes such as Techies, Skywrath Mage, and Rubick.

In their announcement, 9Pandas emphasized the importance of team cohesion and the careful consideration that will go into selecting a new position four support. "We take the most responsible approach to choosing a new four support. We take into account both individual performance and the player's ability to fit into the lineup because team cohesion is half of success. New teammate soon 😎," the statement read.

With the Elite League starting on March 31st, the clock is ticking for 9Pandas to unveil their new lineup. This tournament is expected to be a proving ground for the team's new roster configuration, testing their synergy and strategic adaptability in a high-stakes environment.

As for Antares, his departure from 9Pandas does not mark the end of his professional journey in the Dota 2 esports scene. The organization hinted at his continued presence in professional play, albeit under a new banner. Fans can expect to see Antares competing at the highest level, bringing his unique skills to a new team.

Antares has been a cornerstone of 9Pandas since its formation, helping the team make its mark in numerous tournaments. Despite not clinching any titles, his contributions were instrumental in securing a spot for the team at The International 2023 and qualifying for the upcoming Elite League. His departure marks the end of an era for 9Pandas, but also the beginning of a new chapter as they embark on the search for a player who can fill the void left by Antares.

The Elite League presents an exciting opportunity for 9Pandas to showcase their revamped lineup. With a staggering prize pool of $960,000,000 and twenty-four teams vying for dominance, the stakes couldn't be higher. 9Pandas' first challenge will be against Entity in the Swiss stage, a match that will undoubtedly be closely watched by fans and analysts alike.