Who Are the Four Indian Women in the FIDE Women’s World Cup Final Eight?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- All four Indian women have advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIDE Women’s World Cup.
- GM Humpy Koneru and IM Divya Deshmukh secured their spots early in the tournament.
- GM Harika Dronavalli showcased resilience in her match against GM Kateryna Lagno.
- IM Meruert Kamalidenova and GM Vaishali Rameshbabu played a thrilling match that went to blitz rounds.
- The quarterfinals will feature all-Indian clashes.
Batumi (Georgia), July 18 (NationPress) In a day filled with exhilarating twists and unyielding determination, all four Indian women advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIDE Women's World Cup, reaffirming India's position as a burgeoning powerhouse in global chess.
Two of them—GM Humpy Koneru and IM Divya Deshmukh—secured their places early on. Humpy, the reigning World Rapid Champion, triumphed over former World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk in a poised performance, expertly managing a complex first game and confirming her qualification with a solid draw in the second.
Meanwhile, the 18-year-old Divya continued her impressive streak, defeating GM Zhu Jiner with a score of 1.5-0.5 in their rapid tiebreak. Zhu’s daring queen sacrifice in the second game was commendable; however, Divya’s poise and strategic thinking proved insurmountable.
GM Harika Dronavalli faced GM Kateryna Lagno in a match that turned into a marathon. After a setback in the first rapid game, Harika showcased her resilience and a bit of fortune—Lagno overlooked a crucial tactic in the second game. Harika clawed back, ultimately breaking through in the fourth game of the tiebreak with an exceptional endgame performance.
The most extended and intense match of the day was between IM Meruert Kamalidenova and GM Vaishali Rameshbabu. The two exchanged victories during rapid and blitz rounds. It culminated in the second blitz game, where Vaishali, despite facing a difficult position, maintained her composure and triumphed.
With all four Indian players advancing to the final eight, the quarterfinals will feature two all-Indian matchups: Harika vs Divya and Humpy vs Song Yuxin, while Vaishali will compete against Tan Zhongyi.
Set to occur from July 6 to July 28, the 2025 FIDE Women's World Cup has gathered the world's elite female chess players in Batumi (Georgia). A total of 107 players from 46 federations are slated to take part in this prestigious event, including seventeen of the current top twenty.