Baku, Azerbaijan – Indian Woman Grandmaster Vantika Agrawal showcased remarkable resilience in a “roller-coaster” second-round match at the FIDE Women’s World Cup, ultimately breaking through the defenses of former world champion Anna Ushenina of Ukraine in a gripping tiebreak. Agrawal’s hard-fought victory means she is one of five Indian players still in contention at the prestigious tournament.
Agrawal’s Grueling Battle
Agrawal secured a 4.5-3.5 victory over Ushenina after the classical games were split and multiple rounds of rapid tiebreaks were contested. The two exchanged wins in the classical format, pushing the match into rapid play. Vantika initially took the lead with the black pieces in the rapid section, but Ushenina quickly equalized. The contest then moved into five-minutes-per-player games with a three-second increment, where Agrawal capitalized on a crucial blunder by Ushenina to clinch the decisive win and advance to the third round. Her next challenge will be against Kateryna Lagno, a former Ukrainian prodigy now representing Russia.
Padmini Rout Exits Tournament
Unfortunately for India, Padmini Rout was knocked out of the tournament after losing to another former world champion, Alexandra Kosteniuk of Switzerland. Rout had taken an early lead in their rapid tiebreaker by winning the first game. However, Kosteniuk managed to equalize, and in the fourth set of games, Padmini lost the first with white. Although she was also losing the second, Kosteniuk opted for a draw by repetition, which was sufficient to secure her progression to the next round.
Indian Hopes Remain Strong
Despite Rout’s exit, the Indian contingent remains robust, with five players reaching the last-32 stage of this $691,250 prize money event. The tournament also offers an added incentive, with the top three finishers earning a spot in the 2026 Women’s Candidates’ Tournament.
The other Indian players in action for the third round are:
- Koneru Humpy will face Klaudia Kulon of Poland.
- D. Harika is considered a strong favorite against Stavroula Tsolakidou of Greece.
- R. Vaishali has a tough challenge ahead against the fast-improving Carissa Yip of the United States.
- Divya Deshmukh will aim for a spot in the pre-quarterfinals against Teodora Injac of Serbia.
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