Young Indian teen prodigy Divya Deshmukh pushed the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 final against fellow countrywoman Koneru Humpy into tiebreaks after both Classical games ended in draws.

In the first match, where Divya played with the white pieces, it was a rollercoaster of a game.

The 19-year-old from Nagpur had plenty of opportunities but couldn’t seal the deal, leading to a draw. Divya expressed her disappointment with her performance but quickly moved on and didn’t let it affect her for too long.

“I was really let down by the first game, obviously, because I saw everything and somehow always made the wrong choice, which was such a shame. The first game didn’t go my way, and even though it ended in a draw, it felt more like a loss. So I was just trying to bounce back, and today was a lot easier. I think I got myself into a mess for no good reason. It should have been a straightforward draw. I got into trouble for no reason”, Divya told FIDE’s official broadcaster as the final headed towards a tiebreak.

When asked if she could get over a draw that might have been in her favor in the first leg, she replied, “It’s crucial to move on; otherwise, you won’t play well in the next match. I remind myself that I have my whole life to be upset about it. So, let’s not be sad today, and we can deal with it later”.

“I’m going to put in my best effort. She’s definitely a tough competitor, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that things turn out in my favor”, she added.

The teenager was spotted grinning during the first leg, and when she was asked about it,she replied: “I was getting bombarded with messages on my phone after the game because everyone was like, ‘Why is she smiling?’ It really annoyed me… so I deleted all the apps. I didn’t even realize I was smiling at first. I think it must have been some inside joke I had, and honestly, I was just really focused on the calculations. At that moment, I was a bit frustrated because I noticed queen E2, and my issue was bishop C6. I saw queen C4 and considered queen D7, but I didn’t catch D5, and I misjudged the whole thing”.

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