Abyssal surprise in DFRAG Open Series 4 playoff run

DFRAG Open Series 4 wrapped Sunday with unlikely winners Abyssal coming out on top, defeating heavy favourites Rooster 2-1 (9-13, 13-5, 13-11) to complete an epic playoff run.

Sharvesh "dangeR" Saravanan (52-38, 1.20 HLTV rating) and stand-in Damon "damyo" Portelli (50-35, 1.16) both dropped 50-pieces in the three-mapper. Rooster frontman Michael "chelleos" Hawkins (1.47, +97 K/Diff, 92 ADR) was unstoppable all event and still managed a positive rating in the brutal grand final loss.

With THUNDER dOWNUNDER and SemperFi absent, eyes turned to the likes of Rooster and Abyssal to take advantage of the weaker field, but there were plenty of surprised along the way, including Abyssal's eventual win and a deep run by Ding Cuts.

Rooster exacted revenge against third-place Ding Cuts who shocked the tournament favourites in the group stage; the Chooks carved through Abyssal and Ding Cuts with ease in the playoff upper bracket.

Ding Cuts wouldn't get a chance to strike back. Abyssal cleaned up a spirited DXA before knocking out the group stage winners 2-0 (13-10, 13-10) to book a meeting with Rooster in the grand final.

Rooster looked like taking their hot form into the final with a huge lead on Overpass, but Abyssal fought from 11-5 down and threatened a comeback on Rooster's pick.

But the Chooks rallied, and after Jordan "SkulL" Newland (18-14, 1.57) found a way via a pistol forcebuy, Abyssal's backs were broken, ultimately succumbing 13-9.

Abyssal struck back immediately on their pick of Nuke. Seven T rounds proved enough before a 6-0 shutout on CT saw Abyssal tie the series 13-5 — dangeR (15-10, 1.98) was the difference-maker on map two.

Inferno was a slugfest with teams trading rounds back and forth, but a late flurry of rounds from Abyssal's T-side broke Rooster's economy. Julian "vinhy" Dinh-Vu (19-18) outrated dangeR despite the latter dropping 28 frags, but the pair led from the front to close out the series in regulation.

Abyssal may walk away with the choccies but both become eligible for an invite to the DFRAG Wildcard LAN 2 later this year. Stay tuned to DFRAG for more details about DFRAG Open Series 5 (coming this June!) and everything else OCE CS.