India’s R Vaishali made history on Wednesday by becoming the first Indian to win a FIDE women’s tournament after a composed performance in the final round in Cyprus.
The 2026 title, secured on the Mediterranean coast, earned Vaishali the right to challenge China’s reigning champion Ju Wenjun for the women’s world title later this year.
Capturing the significance of the moment, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand said, “We will have one horse in both races.” With D Gukesh already the reigning Open World Champion, India will now have representation in both the World Title matches.
Going into the final round, Vaishali needed a result against Kateryna Lagno and also needed Bibisara Assaubayeva to drop points. That opportunity came when Divya Deshmukh held Assaubayev to a draw, ensuring the race remained open until the final day.
Vaishali delivered under pressure. In the 14th round, she played with the white pieces and defeated Lagna to seal the title and complete a strong campaign. She was in control of the key moments and didn’t let the situation affect her approach.
Her progress in the tournament was built on consistency against the best opponent. Vaishali recorded important wins over Lagne, Tan Zhongyi and Aleksandra Goryachkina, while earning crucial draws against players such as Anna Muzychuk.
Her only setbacks came against Zhu Jiner, who defeated her twice during the tournament. On both occasions, Vaishali quickly recovered and remained in contention, ensuring that her campaign did not lose momentum.
The focus now shifts to the World Championship showdown against Ju Wenjun, a five-time champion known for her consistency at the highest level. The match is expected to attract worldwide attention, with a prize pool of €300,000 up for grabs.
By winning the candidates, Vaishali secured a prize worth at least €28,000. She also earned €2,200 for every half-point scored during the tournament, adding to her total earnings from the landmark campaign.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
15 Apr 2026 22:30 IST
