In a remarkable feat, Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa secured a victory against the reigning and four-time women's world champion, Wenjun Ju from China, during the ninth round of the Tata Steel Masters. This accomplishment solidified Praggnanandhaa's position as the only player in recent times to defeat both the reigning world champions in open and women’s categories. Just a week prior, he had defeated Ding Liren of China in the same tournament.
Praggnanandhaa now shares the lead with Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Holland's Anish Giri, and D Gukesh, each accumulating 5.5 points from the first nine rounds. Abdusattorov achieved the quickest victory of the round against Jorden van Foreest from the Netherlands, while Gukesh managed a draw against compatriot Vidit Gujrathi, who is trailing just half a point behind the leaders.
The Indian prodigy displayed exceptional skills against Wenjun, employing a bold approach in a two knights opening. Praggnanandhaa seized the initiative early in the middle game, building a substantial attack against the black king. The game concluded in just 33 moves.
Meanwhile, Vidit Gujrathi had a steady performance, securing a draw against Gukesh in a Petroff defense game. With this result, Gujrathi positioned himself well for the latter stages of the tournament.
Simultaneously, in the challengers section, Leon Luke Mendonca emerged victorious in a challenging encounter against Jaime Santos Latasa from Spain, after an extensive 111-move battle. This win placed Mendonca in the second spot, setting the stage for his potential entry into the masters section in the upcoming year.
(With Agency Inputs)
