Bhubaneswar : In a stunning display of grit and talent, all four Indian participants — Koneru Humpy, D Harika, R Vaishali, and Divya Deshmukh — have advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 being held in Batumi, Georgia. This is a historic first for Indian chess, marking the nation’s best collective performance in the prestigious tournament.
Rising Star Divya Stuns No. 2 Seed Zhu Jiner
Divya Deshmukh, the 18-year-old World Junior No. 1, pulled off a major upset by defeating China’s second-seeded Zhu Jiner in rapid tiebreaks with a score of 2.5–1.5. Her aggressive, confident play under pressure has turned heads and earned her widespread praise across the global chess community.
Humpy Outwits Former World Champion
Veteran Grandmaster Koneru Humpy continued her steady run by eliminating former world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk. Humpy prevailed 2.5–1.5 in rapid games after the classical matches ended in draws, once again proving her mastery in faster time controls.
Harika Edges Lagno in Dramatic Duel
Dronavalli Harika battled through a high-intensity match against Ukraine’s Kateryna Lagno. The back-and-forth duel, extending into rapid games, finally ended in Harika’s favor with a 3.5–2.5 win — a result that keeps the experienced GM firmly in the hunt for a World Candidates spot.
Vaishali Survives Blitz Marathon
R Vaishali, sister of Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa, faced Kazakhstan’s Meruert Kamalidenova in a fiercely contested match that went into blitz tiebreakers. Vaishali eventually emerged victorious with a nail-biting 4.5–3.5 score, keeping her dream run alive.
Quarterfinal Pairings: An All-Indian Clash
With four Indians in the quarterfinals, at least one semifinal spot is now guaranteed for India.
The key matchups are:
Koneru Humpy vs Yuxin Song (China)
R Vaishali vs Tan Zhongyi (China)
D Harika vs Divya Deshmukh (India)
Lei Tingjie (China) vs Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia)
The Harika–Divya pairing ensures an Indian presence in the semifinals, keeping hopes alive for further breakthroughs.
What’s at Stake
The FIDE Women’s World Cup offers three slots in the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament, making every game from this stage forward a high-stakes affair. With momentum, experience, and youth on their side, the Indian contingent is poised for a landmark finish.
Latest Update:
The quarterfinals begin on Saturday, July 19, 2025, in Batumi. The Harika–Divya showdown is the most anticipated Indian clash, while Humpy and Vaishali face strong Chinese opponents. All eyes are now on whether India can place more than one player into the semifinals — or perhaps go all the way to the final.
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