China loses another of their legendary players, Zhang "Eurus/Paparazi" Chengju, to retirement before The International.
Rumors were rampant that Zhang "Eurus/Paparazi" Chengjun wanted to retire before Riyadh Masters, but he had stayed on board since the event would only allow one change of players in order for a team to compete.
Xtreme Gaming lost Hu "Kaka" Liangzhi to Team Aster earlier this month. They then had taken on free agent and highly decorated veteran Zhao "XinQ" Zixing into the fold.
With that event done and dusted, Paparazi灬 has now made his official exit from competing in Dota 2.
Translated:
【Xtreme Gaming eSports Club Personnel Change Announcement】 After a long period of internal communication and negotiation, respecting the player's personal will, as of today, the player @拒绝者Paparazi灬 (Zhang Chengjun) departs from #xtremegaming eSports Club# and officially announces retirement. Since November 2021, Jun-God (Nickname of Paparazi)has transitioned to the mid-lane and joined XG. We have been through thick and thin together for nearly two years. During this time, we have stood atop steep peaks and fallen to cold valleys. Regardless of the environment, he has always given his all. Diligent and dedicated, he has shown outstanding mid-lane skills in various competitions. During the TI11 wildcard match, he achieved a solo kill against the enemy mid-laner in one minute, and his exceptional performance against Huskar in a disadvantaged matchup earned praise for his mid-lane abilities. Even before TI11 ended, Paparazi had applied for retirement due to health reasons, but we also faced a severe shortage of mid-lane players domestically. At the time when the club and teammates needed hin the most, he decided to continue shouldering the responsibility. With XINQ's addition and JT's outstanding performances, Paparazi put up a remarkable show in Riyadh. Despite not advancing to the second round of the playoffs, he remained steadfast under external pressure to retire and lived up to expectations. It's regrettable that he is leaving XG, and the club fully respects his personal choice. Thank you again for stepping up multiple times in critical situations and fulfilling your duties! May you continue to contribute to Chinese DOTA in the future!
Paparazi灬 has had success in DotA 1 and playing for Immortal Magneto Gaming and FanTuan as carry and mid player. He is noted to be the first person to reach 8k MMR in the Chinese region.
His professional journey in Dota 2 started in 2015 and became one of Chinese Dota’s most prolific midlaners —having taken the back-to-back champion titles of the fiercely competitive DAC Solo Tournament in 2017 and 2018 - defeating the likes of Sumail, Sccc, and Miracle-.
Over the years, he made his mark on prominent teams such as Invictus Gaming, iG.Vitality, Vici Gaming, Elephant, and Xtreme Gaming.
Team Aster will need to fill the gap left behind soon. China has only one spot up for grabs in the TI qualifiers and it will be a fierce battle for it.
