Sole Leader Vaishali Eyes Title Push, Faces Goryachkina in Crucial Round

With R. Praggnanandhaa slipping out of contention in the Open section, attention has firmly shifted to his sister R. Vaishali, who has emerged as the sole leader in the Women’s Candidates tournament heading into Round 11 after the third rest day.

Vaishali, on six points , will face a crucial test against Russia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina. A win here could significantly strengthen her chances of clinching the title and earning a shot at reigning world champion Ju Wenjun later this year.

With just four rounds remaining , Vaishali holds a slender half-point lead over Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk and China’s Zhu Jiner. A group comprising Kateryna Lagno, Goryachkina, and Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva are close behind on five points, while Divya Deshmukh trails with 4.5 points. Former world champion Tan Zhongyi is currently at the bottom with 3.5.

Vaishali has stood out for her attacking style and composure , securing three wins and suffering just one loss so far. Her ability to balance aggression with control has kept her ahead in a tightly contested field.

Meanwhile, the Open section has turned into a near one-sided contest , with Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov dominating on eight points from 10 games. He is now firmly on course to challenge India’s D. Gukesh for the world title, barring a late slip.

Anish Giri remains the closest challenger but trails by two points, while Fabiano Caruana is a further point behind and virtually out of contention. Hikaru Nakamura, Wei Yi, and Matthias Bluebaum are tied in the middle, while Praggnanandhaa sits seventh.

A victory for Sindarov against Caruana in Round 11 could all but seal the title , while Vaishali’s clash with Goryachkina is set to be a defining moment in the women’s race.