After a brief hiatus, Lu “Somnus” Yao, the renowned Dota 2 player, has made a comeback to the competitive scene. Despite initial expectations of a casual return, Somnus surprised everyone by qualifying for The International 2023 and expressing his confidence in his abilities.
In a recent stream, Somnus revealed that he feels revitalized after undergoing an intensive two-month bootcamp with his team, Azure Ray. He admitted to previously being lazy but now feels more alive and connected to the game. The team is scheduled to fly to Seattle on October 9th, a few days before the tournament begins.
As part of his preparations for TI 2023, Somnus embraced superstition and dyed his hair gray-blue, considering it his lucky color for the year. This choice aligns with Azure Ray’s logo and the blue theme of TI12, ensuring that his uniforms will complement his unique hair color.
Despite the infamous second-place curse that has plagued top Chinese players and teams, Somnus humorously mentioned that he wouldn’t be too upset if he were to achieve second place again at TI. He even joked about seeking advice from his teammates, Xu “fy” Linsen and Wang “Ame” Chunyu, who have also experienced this curse in the past.
| Date | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-10-09 | Flight to Seattle | Upcoming |
| 2023-10-09 | Bootcamp with Azure Ray | Successful |
| 2023-10-09 | Hair dyed gray-blue | Completed |
| 2023-10-09 | Qualification for TI 2023 | Achieved |
Somnus was part of the PSG.LGD team during the 2018 and 2019 TI events, where they were considered favorites but ended up placing second and third, respectively. This earned them the nickname “Uncrowned Kings of Dota 2.” Now, Somnus and his former teammates have returned for another shot at glory in TI 2023.
Source: DOTESPORTS
