The 2025 FIDE Women’s World Cup in Batumi served up a remarkable spectacle on Friday as all four Indian participants clinched their spots in the quarterfinals after dramatic round-four tiebreaks—a feat never before witnessed at this elite event. GMs Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, and IM Divya Deshmukh each demonstrated steely nerves and immense skill, turning a strong Indian campaign into a historic chess moment.
A Day of Tiebreak Drama
In round four, each of the quartet battled world-class opponents across intense rapid and blitz tiebreak encounters, following deadlocked classical duels.
Divya Deshmukh: The Rising Star
Facing China’s formidable GM Zhu Jiner, Divya Deshmukh rose above the pressure. After splitting the classical encounters, Divya capitalized in the 15-minute rapid tiebreaks, winning the opener and smartly securing a draw in the second to take the match 1.5-0.5. Her composure was all the more impressive considering Zhu tried the rarely seen Konstantopoulos King’s Knight Opening to surprise her. Divya’s tactical precision in the endgame underscored her reputation as one of India’s best young prospects.
Koneru Humpy: The Champion’s Resolve
World Rapid Chess Champion GM Koneru Humpy, known for her fighting spirit, played out two draws in the classical stage against former World Champion GM Alexandra Kosteniuk. In the rapid segment, Humpy pounced on a series of errors from Kosteniuk to win game one, then calmly drew the second to advance. Post-match, Humpy admitted she’d been “completely lucky” in the wild first rapid encounter, but her pragmatic play ensured a safe passage.
Harika Dronavalli: Comeback Queen
GM Harika Dronavalli faced seventh-seeded GM Kateryna Lagno in a match characterized by fluctuating fortunes. Lagno seized the first rapid game, but Harika’s fighting mentality brought her back in the second. After escaping a likely defeat, she forced blitz tiebreaks and eventually outlasted Lagno in the 10-minute games—a testament to her resilience and experience at the elite level.
Vaishali Rameshbabu: Triumph in a Marathon
For GM Vaishali Rameshbabu, the path was no easier. Meeting Kazakhstan’s IM Meruert Kamalidenova, Vaishali lost the opening rapid, but showed remarkable tenacity. She leveled the match by winning under severe time pressure, then delivered a strong display in the blitz games, including a pivotal win in the deciding 5-minute encounter. Hers was widely described as a true emotional roller coaster, with both players having opportunities in the final exchanges.
Quarterfinal Showdown: At Least One Indian Semifinalist
With Humpy, Harika, Vaishali, and Divya all making the quarterfinal cut, Indian fans are guaranteed at least one representative in the semi-finals. The draw has ensured an all-Indian duel between Divya Deshmukh and Harika Dronavalli. Humpy takes on rising Chinese talent IM Song Yuxin, while Vaishali faces former Women’s World Champion GM Tan Zhongyi. The fourth matchup features top-seed Lei Tingjie against Georgian GM Nana Dzagnidze.
Impact and Significance
This unprecedented result is a watershed for Indian women’s chess, underscoring the country’s rapid rise as a global powerhouse in the sport. FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky lauded the achievement, calling it “quite a feat” and noting how intensely the matches were contested—the Indians being pushed to their limits in every encounter.
Out of the remaining eight quarterfinalists, four carry the Tricolor, ensuring that the spotlight will stay firmly on India in the coming rounds. The stakes are high: three Candidates Tournament spots are at play, and with such depth in Indian representation, hopes are at an all-time high for securing these coveted berths.
Quarterfinal Pairings
| Quarterfinals |
| Lei Tingjie vs Nana Dzagnidze |
| Koneru Humpy vs Song Yuxin |
| Harika Dronavalli vs Divya Deshmukh |
| Tan Zhongyi vs Vaishali Rameshbabu |
What’s Next
The Women’s World Cup quarterfinals commence Saturday, July 19, promising yet more top-level drama. The format remains head-to-head knockout with rapid and blitz tiebreaks if needed. With the Indian contingent’s current momentum, anticipation is sky-high for further breakthroughs.
Photo Credit: Chess.com
