India’s teenage chess sensation Divya Deshmukh continued her remarkable run at the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 by defeating former World Champion Tan Zhongyi of China in the semifinals held in Batumi on Wednesday. With this landmark victory, Divya has become the first Indian ever to reach the final of this prestigious event, simultaneously securing her place in the upcoming Candidates Tournament.Divya’s tournament journey has been truly extraordinary. She pulled off a stunning upset against second seed Zhu Jiner of China in the fourth round, one of the biggest surprises of the competition.
In the quarterfinals, Divya faced off against Indian Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli, India’s No. 2 and the first Indian woman to reach the top eight in 2023. After two hard-fought draws in Classical games, the match moved into tiebreaks. The 34-year-old Harika was unable to keep up with Divya’s dynamic play, allowing the young prodigy to advance to the semifinals.
Divya will now take on the winner of the other semifinal between top seed Lei Tingjie of China and India’s highest-ranked player, Koneru Humpy. Their intense battle has entered tiebreaks after two tightly contested draws in Classical format.Divya’s success has also paved the way for a rare and exciting possibility—two Indian players qualifying for the prestigious Candidates Tournament.
Should Humpy reach the final, she will also secure her spot. Even if she falls short, Humpy still has another opportunity to qualify for the World Championship challenger tournament.With Divya’s historic achievement and India’s growing prominence in women’s chess, the future looks brighter than ever for Indian chess enthusiasts!
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