Prithhis Bose
Apr, 03.2024
Since David "Moonmeander" Tan Boon Yang is already a coach, the Dota 2 community has not been entirely clear about Ludwig "zai" Wåhlberg's role since he was named general manager of Tundra Esports. Edgar "9Class" Naltakian, Tundra's support player, clarified this, nevertheless, by discussing zai's interaction with the players in a recent Elite League interview. He clarified that Zai's present responsibilities are quite restricted and he helps with drafting on occasion and gives the players moral support when needed.
Zai's interaction with the Tundra Esports players is described in 9class
When questioned about zai's position as general manager of Tundra during the Elite League's Swiss stage, 9class was direct in the interview that followed his team's 2-0 victory over Nigma Galaxy. Following his retirement a few months prior to The International 12, the fanbase was thrilled to see Zai re-appointed as Tundra's general manager in February 2024, as it indicated his potential return to competitive Dota 2. However, because the general manager's position is not well known inside the ecosystem, it was unclear what the manager would accomplish for the club.
Zai's appointment magnified the controversy surrounding the signing, which began when the team's offlaner, Ivan "MinD_ContRoL" Ivanov, abruptly resigned, citing the presence of various voices and leaders within the squad. But after making accusations against Tundra that suggested the company had abused him, MinD_ContRoL later apologized.
Since then, Tundra and Tobias "Tobi" Buchner have primarily played on the offlane. Impressive achievements have led to qualification for PGL Wallachia Season 1 and DreamLeague Season 23.
After losing the first series to Heroic in Elite League, Tundra bounced back hard and now leads the league with two wins from three series. To move on to the next round of the competition, Tundra needs to win one more game in one of the two possible series.