Last Updated:
Divya Deshmukh becomes the first Indian to qualify for the final of the FIDE Women’s World Cup, defeating 2017 Women’s World Champion Zhongyi Tan 1.5-0.5 in the semifinal.
Divya Deshmukh (X)
Divya Deshmukh’s astronomical rise in the world of Chess continues onwards, as the youngster has now become the first Indian ever to qualify for the final of the FIDE Women’s World Cup on Wednesday.
Divya, who held the white pieces today, had an impressive display to oust Zhongyi Tan, the 2017 Women’s World Champion, and edge her out 1.5-0.5 in the semifinal.
Earlier yesterday, Divya held her ground impressively against Tan. The game followed the Queen’s Gambit Declined, with Divya steering the position into calm waters through timely exchanges and securing a hard-fought draw.
With a spot in the final on the line, Divya kicked into overdrive, while Tan blundered badly in the endgame, gifting Divya the place in the final, along with a spot in the next FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament as well.
Humpy Draws, Goes Into Tiebreaker To Fight For Final Spot
In the other semifinal, Divya’s Indian compatriot Koneru Humpy couldn’t get the job done on the day, claiming yet another draw against Chinese GM Tingjie Lei, leading to a 1-1 tie.
The match will now move on to tiebreaks, which will happen on Thursday.
Humpy held a massive advantage early in the endgame, before throwing the advantage away as the two players settled for a draw.
How Has Divya Deshmukh’s Career Been So Far?
In 2021, Divya became India’s 21st Woman Grandmaster and won the 2022 Women’s Indian Chess Championship. She secured an individual bronze medal at the 2022 Chess Olympiad and was instrumental in India’s gold medal win at the 2020 FIDE Online Olympiad. As of December 2024, she is ranked No. 2 among Indian women chess players.
In 2023, Divya won the Asian Women’s Chess Championship in Almaty and emerged victorious in the women’s rapid section of the Tata Steel India Chess Tournament, defeating top players such as Harika Dronavalli and Koneru Humpy.
In May 2024, she triumphed at the Sharjah Challengers, followed by a historic win at the FIDE World U20 Girls Championship in June, becoming only the fourth Indian to achieve this title. She finished with an impressive score of 10/11 after a decisive final-round win.
At the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships in London, Divya played a key role for Hexamind Chess Club, securing silver in the rapid team event and bronze in the blitz team event. A standout moment came in the blitz semifinal, where she defeated world No. 1 Hou Yifan in a thrilling 74-move game.
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
view comments
- First Published:
