R Vaishali beats Keteryna Lagno to become Women’s Candidates champion | Other Sports News

R Vaishali delivered a composed and resilient performance in the final round to defeat Kateryna Lagno, securing the Women’s Candidates Tournament crown outright on Wednesday. After a tense phase in the game, Vaishali regained control at a crucial moment and turned things around brilliantly to finish on 8.5 points and seal the title.

A Defining Career Breakthrough

Open Section: Sindarov Emerges on Top

In the Open Candidates, Javokhir Sindarov secured his spot as the challenger for the world title after drawing with Wei Yi in the final round. He will now face reigning world champion D Gukesh.

Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa signed off his campaign with a draw against American star Hikaru Nakamura.

Key Performances in Final Round

Anish Giri secured second place overall, finishing 1.5 points behind Sindarov after defeating Matthias Bluebaum. Fabiano Caruana also ended on a high note with a win over Andrey Esipenko.

In the women’s section, Bibisara Assaubayeva drew with Divya Deshmukh, while other boards saw competitive finishes involving Anna Muzychuk, Zhu Jiner, Tan Zhongyi, and Aleksandra Goryachkina.

Vaishali’s triumph marks a significant milestone, reinforcing India’s growing influence on the global chess stage.