India’s rising chess talent, Divya Deshmukh, had an emotional moment after winning a big match in the FIDE Women’s World Cup. She defeated fellow Indian Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli in the quarterfinals with a strong 2-0 win in tie-breaker games.
After the victory, 19-year-old Divya covered her face with her hands, clearly feeling the pressure and excitement. It was a huge achievement for the young player as she moved into the semifinals, where she will face Tan Zhongyi, a former world champion from China.
Divya showed smart and confident gameplay in the tie-breaks, proving how much she has grown as an international player. This is one of the biggest wins of her career so far.
Divya Deshmukh is overwhelmed with emotions as she beats Harika Dronavalli 2-0 in tiebreaks to reach a Women’s World Cup semifinal against Tan Zhongyi! https://t.co/t9GrIeQbzR pic.twitter.com/zwoYoRJPf1
— chess24 (@chess24com) July 21, 2025
The quarterfinal match between Divya and Harika was intense. Their first two classical games ended in draws, leading to tie-breakers. Divya played fearlessly and won both tie-break games.
India now has two players in the semifinals — Divya and Koneru Humpy. Humpy reached the last four by drawing her second game against Yuxin Song from China, as she had already won the first game. Her counterattacking style helped her secure a top-four finish.
Humpy still has a chance to finish in the top three, which would help her qualify for the next Women’s Candidates Tournament.
Meanwhile, R Vaishali, another Indian player, was knocked out after a tough match against Tan Zhongyi. Though she had good chances, some mistakes allowed Tan to win.
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China’s Lei Tingjie, the tournament’s top seed, also moved to the semifinals after beating Nana Dzagnidze from Georgia.
With both Divya and Humpy in the semifinals, it’s a proud and exciting time for Indian chess. All eyes are now on Divya as she prepares for her big match against Tan Zhongyi in the semifinals.
