Koneru, Dronavalli, Vaishali, Deshmukh All Secure Quarters Berth In FIDE WWC 2025
Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, R Vaishali and Divya Deshmukh presented a strong Indian-front at Women's World Cup in Batumi, Georgia.
The Indian contingent enjoyed a massive success as three women's players, namely Humpy Koneru, Harika Dronavalli, R Vaishali and Divya Deshmukh, all moved into the quarterfinal of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025.
Koneru, Dronavalli, Vaishali and Deshmukh presented a strong Indian-front at the event in Batumi, Georgia.
Koneru got the better of Swiss player Kosteniuk Alexandra, while Deshmukh braved the challenge of Chinese Zhu Jiner to eventually come out on top. Dronavalli moved past Finnish player Lagno Kateryna, while Vaishali put it past Kazakhistan's Kamalidenova Meruert.
Koneru is slated to take on Chinese IM Yuxin Song in her quarters encounter, while Vaishali will play against former World Chmapion Tan Zhongyi, while Deshmukh and Dronavalli face off against one another.
In the Quarterfinals, Humpy will play against Song Yusin, while Vaishali will take on Former Women's World Champion Tan Zhongyi. And there will be an all-Indian matchup as well – Divya will face Harika, which means atleast one Indian will make it to the semifinals.
The Indian men's chess contingent faced disappointment elsewhere as GM Arjun Erigaisi was defeated by Levon Aronian on Saturday in their semifinal clash at the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. Aronian secured a 2-0 victory over Erigaisi in this final-four encounter held on American soil. This triumph adds to Aronian's impressive record at the ongoing event in Las Vegas, where he has already bested World No.1 Magnus Carlsen, No.2 Hikaru Nakamura, and No.5 Praggnanandhaa.
Lei Tingjie (CHN) beat Omonova Umida (UZB)
Divya Deshmukh (IND) beat Zhu Jiner (CHN)
Tan Zhongyi (CHN) beat Osmak Yuliia (UKR)
Koneru Humpy (IND) beat Kosteniuk Alexandra (SUI)
Dronavalli Harika (IND) beat Lagno Kateryna (FID)
Dzagnidze Nana (GEO) beat Muzychuk Mariya (UKR)
Vaishali Rameshbabu (IND) beat Kamalidenova Meruert (KAZ)
Song Yuxin (CHN) beat Javakhishvili Lela (GEO)
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First Published:
July 19, 2025, 07:29 IST
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Indian Express
12 minutes ago
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Trailing by 311 runs at lunch on Day 4, India were staring at an innings defeat. But against all odds, Shubman Gill's young team batted for 143 overs and lost just four wickets. This was a comeback for ages. The series that seemed dead — the loss for India here would have seen England take a 3-1 lead — has been magically kept alive. With momentum on their side, India can now dream of winning the final Test at Oval and level the series 2-2. Nothing can be put beyond a team where a batsman with a fractured foot — Rishabh Pant — raises his hand to take the field and do his bit. Indian coach Gautam Gambhir, after the match, spoke about the importance of the draw for the rest of the series. 'It will give us an edge. When you are put under pressure and you come out of those pressure moments, it is always a great feeling. It just ends up giving a lot of confidence to the dressing room,' he said. Unlike many teams of the past, with bigger stars, this Indian team just refuses to give up. 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There is a certain nonchalance about the way Jadeja and Washington conduct themselves on the pitch. They look relaxed, they keep smiling and are almost aloof to the surroundings and the situation. They don't even confront the opposition. They actually chat them up. They don't rile their opponent, they don't trigger fights. Jadeja and Washington, with their solid play, dilute the opposition's aggression. Jadeja, despite his numbers, isn't quite counted among the game's greats but today he joined the list of legends. Washington's place in the playing XI has been repeatedly questioned but today he shut the mouths of his doubters for good. As Jadeja added a hundred to his four 50s on this tour he was on par with the greatest all-rounder Gary Sobers for runs scored in England. Washington, the spinner, had done his bit at Lord's with four wickets in an innings. At Old Trafford, he showed what he can do with the bat. He justified the team management's trust in him. 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The Hindu
14 minutes ago
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Guys showed character, says Gambhir
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The Hindu
14 minutes ago
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WATCH: Jadeja, Washington refuse Ben Stokes' draw offer in final-session drama at Old Trafford
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