In a historic achievement for Indian chess, four Indian women have advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 in Batumi, Georgia. This is the first time India has had such a strong representation in the final eight of the tournament. The four players who have made it to the quarterfinals are Grandmasters Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, R. Vaishali, and International Master Divya Deshmukh.
The journey to the quarterfinals was filled with intense matches and tiebreaks. Divya Deshmukh pulled off a significant upset by defeating the second seed, Zhu Jiner of China. Humpy, displaying her experience, overcame former World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk of Switzerland. Harika prevailed over Kateryna Lagno, while Vaishali won a thrilling tiebreak against Meruert Kamalidenova of Kazakhstan. All four Indian players won their respective tiebreak matches to secure their places in the quarterfinals.
With half of the quarterfinalists being from India, the country has a strong chance of winning the title. An all-Indian clash between Divya and Harika is guaranteed, ensuring that at least one Indian player will reach the semifinals. Humpy will face Yuxin Song of China, while Vaishali will take on Tan Zhongyi, also from China. The other quarterfinal match is between Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia and Lei Tingjie of China.
The quarterfinal matches are scheduled to begin on July 19, 2025. The all-Indian clash between Harika and Divya is highly anticipated, while Humpy and Vaishali will face tough challenges against their Chinese opponents. The top three finishers of the World Cup will qualify for the Women's Candidates Tournament, adding further significance to the event.
Koneru Humpy, India's highest-rated woman player, is a favorite to win her maiden title at the FIDE Women's World Cup. D Harika, a seasoned campaigner, has reached the semifinals of the World Cup twice before. Divya Deshmukh has emerged as a giant-killer in the tournament after eliminating second seed Zhu Jiner. R Vaishali, winner of the last Women's Grand Swiss, also aims to continue her impressive run.
This achievement marks a golden chapter in Indian chess and reflects the talent and resilience of the country's women players. Last year, the Indian women's team won gold at a tournament, showcasing their dominance in chess. The strong performance of the Indian women at the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 is a testament to the growing strength of Indian chess and the bright future of the sport in the country. The nation now looks forward to the quarterfinal matches with great anticipation and hopes for continued success.
