Chess
Divya Deshmukh becomes first Indian to enter final of FIDE Women’s World Cup
In beating Tan Zhongyi 1.5-0.5 in the semifinal, Divya is now the first teenager to make the Candidates in 34 years.
The victory hands Divya Deshmukh a maiden Grand Master norm. (Photo credit: Anna Shtourman)
India’s Divya Deshmukh produced a stellar display of chess to overcome China’s Tan Zhongyi in Game 2 of the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 semifinal at Batumi, Georgia on Wednesday to seal a spot in the final.
Tan Zhongyi, playing with black pieces, was outplayed by the Indian teenager who claimed a 1.5-0.5 win after having previously drawn the first game on Tuesday.
The semi-final began to unravel in the mid-game when an error from the Chinese Zhongyi handed a two-pawn advantage for the Indian.
Thereafter, queens were traded and a see-saw battled began to ensue.
However, Deshmukh regained control and push Tingie on the backfoot by going up rook. At this point, the Chinese, bereft of ideas, threw in the towel.
This victory is significant for the India. Not only did Deskmukh enter the final, she has now earned a berth at the prestigious 2026 Candidates tournament. These outcomes notwithstanding, the teenager has become the first Indian to enter the final of FIDE Women’s World Cup. And finally, the victory also hands her a maiden Grand Master norm.
Meanwhile, Koneru Humpay, the second Indian in the semi-final was held by China’s Lei Tingjie. This was the duo's second consecutive draw, which means that this semi-final fixture now heads to a tiebreak on Thursday.
