Divya Deshmukh captured the FIDE Women’s World Cup title by defeating Koneru Humpy in a an all-Indian final, a moment that stands as a significant milestone for Indian chess. She is the first Indian woman to win this championship.
With this victory, India now holds both the Women’s World Cup champion title, through Divya Deshmukh, and the Women’s World Rapid champion title, held by Koneru Humpy
At just 19, Deshmukh showed remarkable poise from the very start, with the classical rounds producing two intense draws. Although she missed winning chances in the first game and had to withstand pressure in the second, she remained resilient and took the match into rapid tiebreaks—an area where Humpy, the reigning World Rapid Champion, was considered stronger.
In the tiebreaks, however, Divya turned the tables. After splitting the first rapid game, she played with Black in the second and maintained sharp focus, exploiting errors in a tense endgame to secure victory.
Her 2.5–1.5 win not only earned her the championship but also fulfilled the requirements for her final Grandmaster norm, making her India’s 88th Grandmaster and only the fourth Indian woman ever to achieve this distinction.
The scenes following her win were emotional: Divya embraced her mother with tears in her eyes, reflecting the years of dedication behind the moment.
The final also highlighted India’s growing strength in women’s chess, as both finalists had eliminated strong Chinese players—Humpy defeated top seed Lei Tingjie, while Divya ousted former world champion Tan Zhongyi in the semifinals.
Deshmukh’s victory is being hailed as a breakthrough achievement. At just 19 years old, she has entered the global elite, inspiring a new generation of chess talent and affirming India’s rising presence on the international stage.
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