India’s teenage chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh has scripted history at the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 by becoming the first Indian ever to reach the final of the prestigious tournament. The 19-year-old continued her sensational run by defeating former World Champion and current World No.4, China’s Tan Zhongyi, in the semifinals.
Deshmukh sealed her place in the summit clash with a 1.5-0.5 victory, holding Zhongyi to a draw in the first leg with black pieces before delivering a decisive win in the second leg with white. Employing a bold and unpredictable Alapin Sicilian Defence, she navigated a tense, back-and-forth encounter to score the biggest win of her young career.
Her journey to the final has been marked by remarkable performances, including a stunning fourth-round victory over second seed Zhu Jiner of China. In the quarterfinals, she overcame seasoned Indian Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli in a hard-fought match that went into tie-breaks after two closely contested draws in the Classical segment.
