R Vaishali’s rise from the lowest-ranked player in the field to Women’s Candidates champion has drawn widespread praise, with leading voices from the chess world hailing X to celebrate her landmark achievement.
Among them was Judit Polgar, who in a detailed post after the end of the FIDE 2026 Candidates Tournament highlighted the Indian’s grit and resilience. Vaishali’s triumph as a product of “perseverance, fighting spirit, grit and resilience”, adding that winning the title as the lowest-rated player underlines the magnitude of the feat.
That calmness and combativeness showed in the final round, where R Vaishali gained control in the key stage to beat Kateryna Lagno and seal the title by 8.5 points. The victory not only marked a career-defining moment, but also secured her a spot in the world championship match later this year against China’s Ju Wenjun.
Another reaction came from Susan Polgar, who also took an X to highlight the significance of Vaishali’s success. Pointing out that Vaishali is now only the second Indian since Koneru Humpa in 2011 to earn a shot at a world title, she termed it a “deserved victory” while wishing her luck in the championship meet.
Long seen in the shadow of her younger brother R Praggnanandha, Vaishali’s triumph signals her emergence as a force in her own right. Her campaign was built on consistency and poise against a strong field, reinforcing India’s growing presence in elite women’s chess.
The contenders also created an impressive story in the Open section where Javokhir Sindarov secured victory after drawing with Wei Yi to set up a World Championship clash with reigning champion D Gukesh.
Elsewhere, Praggnanandhaa signed off with a draw against Hikaru Nakamura, while Anish Giri finished second after defeating Matthias Bluebaum. Fabiano Caruana also ended his campaign with a win over Andrey Espipenko.
For all the excellent performances, it was Vaishali’s underdog story that grabbed the attention, with reactions to X reflecting the scale and significance of her breakthrough moment.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
16 Apr 2026 11:31 IST
