'Historic Win': Sachin Tendulkar Hails Divya Deshmukh On Winning India's First Women's WC
The 19-year-old Divya stunned the chess world by winning the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025, becoming the first Indian woman to claim the prestigious title. In the all-Indian final, Divya defeated legendary compatriot Koneru Humpy 1.5–0.5 in the rapid tie-breaks on Monday to script a fairytale ending.
Taking to X, Tendulkar wrote, "An all-Indian final. A historic win. Congrats Divya Deshmukh, India’s first Women’s World Cup Champion and newest Grandmaster. Full credit to Koneru Humpy for a thrilling contest yesterday!"
The classical games played over the weekend had ended in tense draws, with both players showcasing resilience and elite-level play. In Saturday's opening game, Divya, playing with the white pieces, built a commanding position but let Humpy equalise late. The second game on Sunday was more balanced, though Divya admitted she “wandered into trouble for no apparent reason” before holding on.
Taking to X, Tendulkar wrote, "An all-Indian final. A historic win. Congrats Divya Deshmukh, India’s first Women’s World Cup Champion and newest Grandmaster. Full credit to Koneru Humpy for a thrilling contest yesterday!"
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Divya's sensational title triumph in the World Cup is proof that the country is a dominant force in chess and currently rules the world, with Dommaraju Gukesh crowned last year as the FIDE World Champion after beating Ding Liren of China in the final in Singapore.