"We both thought the other sas doing something wrong", — Saksa on the conflict in Tundra Esports

On a joint podcast with Austin Cap Walsh, Quinn Quinn Callahan, and Aydin iNSaNiA Sarkohi, Team Yandex support Martin Saksa Sazdov joined as a guest. He discussed his conflict with 1win Team player Neta 33 Shapira, assessed the team's performance at Esports World Cup 2026, and shared his expectations for The International 2026.

Conflict with 33

Speaking about his career, Saksa discussed his conflict with 33 during their time together on Tundra Esports. According to the player, they both believed the other was making mistakes, which led to an argument that gradually escalated into a more serious conflict.

He thought I was doing some things wrong, and I thought he was doing some things wrong. We had an argument, things escalated, and it just went from there.

At the same time, Sazdov said he does not consider what happened to have been a major scandal. He explained that situations like this can arise within teams when players spend a lot of time together.

Martin also spoke about 33's role on that roster. According to him, Shapira was responsible for most of the drafting and effectively served as the team's main leader. However, on the championship-winning Tundra roster, hero decisions were made by the entire team, with different players taking on the leadership role depending on the situation.

It is worth recalling that Saksa and 33 won The International 2022 together as members of Tundra Esports. In the Grand Final, the team defeated Team Secret 3:0.

Esports World Cup 2026 results

Team Yandex finished EWC 2026 in third place. However, Saksa was dissatisfied with the team's performance and called the tournament his worst of the current season.

According to the player, the team had been showing excellent results in practice before the championship and was capable of beating almost any opponent. However, during the tournament itself, several players faced health issues, including the coach.

Saksa singled out the semifinal series against PARIVISION as particularly difficult. He admitted that the team had barely prepared for the match, while the drafts were so poor that winning one of the games came as a surprise.

We were not prepared at all. Our drafts were a complete mess. We did not really understand what we were doing. Honestly, it is almost a miracle that we even won one game.

During the tournament, the team spoke Russian more often, which caused Saksa to be left out of the discussions. Against PARIVISION, he did not understand at all what decisions the team was making.

Expectations for The International 2026

The upcoming TI15 was the final topic of discussion. Saksa said he does not want to set any expectations for the tournament in advance.

Obviously, we have had good results, but this is The International. Anything can happen here. I do not want to feel pressure, especially if something goes wrong.

At the same time, Sazdov admitted that after winning The International 2022, a second championship title is no longer his main personal goal. Now, the player would rather see his current teammates experience the emotions of winning the biggest tournament of the season for the first time.

To conclude, Saksa named his favorites for the year's main tournament. His top six included PARIVISION, 1win Team, Team Falcons, Team Yandex, Team Liquid, and Aurora Gaming. He ranked Aurora above Team Spirit, as he considers them the stronger team at the moment, although he acknowledged that the "Dragons" could improve their performance at TI.

The International 2026 will take place from 13.08.2026 to 23.08.2026 in Shanghai, China. The tournament will feature 16 teams, while the prize pool has already surpassed $2,500,000.

Earlier, Cyberscore shared details from a podcast featuring Shannon SUNSfan Scotten and Troels syndereN Nielsen, where they discussed their expectations for the second act of Dark Carnival and shared their predictions for the upcoming championship.