India’s Divya Deshmukh defeated China’s Tan Zhongyi in Game 2 of the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025 semifinal on 23 July in Batumi, Georgia, securing a 1.5–0.5 victory and a place in the final. With this win, the 19-year-old not only became the first Indian to reach the final of the Women’s World Cup but also secured her first Grandmaster norm and a spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
She will face the winner of the other semifinal between Koneru Humpy (India) and Lei Tingjie (China), which is heading into tiebreaks after two drawn classical games.
The FIDE Women’s World Cup is a key event in the World Championship cycle, offering three spots for the Candidates Tournament.
