FIDE Women's World Cup: Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh reach pre-quarters

Batumi (Georgia), Jul 14 (PTI) — In a significant display of skill at the FIDE Women's World Cup, Woman Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh and the trailblazing Koneru Humpy from India have secured their places in the last-16, each demonstrating unique resilience.

Divya, having entered the match with a one-point lead, managed to secure the required draw against Serbia's Teodora Injac. Meanwhile, Koneru Humpy showed remarkable tenacity to outplay Poland's Kulon Klaudia and join her compatriot in the next round.

India's hopes continue to hang in the balance as three other competitors — D Harika, Vantika Agrawal, and R. Vaishali — await their fate in the upcoming tiebreakers. Grandmaster Harika's persistent efforts kept her in contention after consecutive draws against Greece's Tsolakidou Stavroula. Vantika, who initially celebrated a victory over Russia's Kateryna Lagno, found herself needing a tiebreaker after dropping the return game.

As Vantika, Harika, and Vaishali brace for the tiebreak games, there's still potential to advance into the round of 16. A lucrative prize pool of USD 691,250 awaits, with USD 50,000 earmarked for the winner. Furthermore, the top three finishers will qualify for the next Candidates Tournament, gearing up to challenge Ju Wenjun, the reigning women's world champion.

Complete Round 2 results: Antoaneta Stefanova (Bul) was defeated by Lei Tingjie (Chn) 0-2; Zhu Jiner (Chn) emerged victorious over Aleksandra Maltsveskaya (Pol) 2-0; Irina Bulmaga (Rou) was bested by Tan Zhongyi (Chn) 0.5-2.5; Koneru Humpy (Ind) succeeded against Kulon Klaudia (Pol) 1.5-0.5. Anna Muzychuk (Ukr) drew with Yixing Song (Chn) 1-1, leading to a tiebreak; Vantika Agrawal tied with Kateryna Lagno (Fid) 1-1, proceeding to a tiebreak; Nana Dzagnidze (Geo) tied with Valentina Gunina (Fid) 1-1, moving to a tiebreak; Bella Khotenashvili (Geo) fell to Mariya Muzychuk (Ukr) 0-2; D. Harika (Ind) drew with Tsolakidou Stavroula (Gre); Carissa Yip (USA) drew with R Vaishali (Ind) 1-1, heading to a tiebreak; Polina Shuvalova (Fid) was defeated by Lela Javakhashvili (Geo) 0.5-1.5; Teodora Injac (Srb) lost to Divya Deshmukh (Ind) 0.5-1.5; Kaliakhmet Elnaz (Kaz) was outdone by Umida Polonova (Uzb) 0.5-1.5-0.5; Meri Arabidze (Geo) drew with Alexandra Kosteniuk (Sui) 1-1, approaching a tiebreak; Osmak Yuliia (Ukr) overcame Lu Miaoyi (Chn) 1.5-0.5; Kamalidenova Meruert (Kaz) triumphed over Anna Shukhman (FID) 1.5-0.5.

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