Pragg out of picture, spotlight sole leader Vaishali at Candidates

Paphos: With R Praggnanandhaa out of contention, focus has shifted to his sister R Vaishali, who enters Round 11 of the Women’s Candidates tournament as the sole leader, boosting her chances of sealing the title when play resumes on Saturday after the rest day.

Vaishali, on six points, faces Russia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina in the next round, aiming to extend her lead and strengthen her bid for the title, which would earn her a shot at reigning world champion Ju Wenjun later this year.

With four rounds remaining, Vaishali has been the standout among the three Indian players, ahead of her younger brother R. Praggnanandhaa, who is competing in the Open section, and Divya Deshmukh.

She holds a half-point lead over Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk and China’s Zhu Jiner. The trio of Kateryna Lagno, Aleksandra Goryachkina, and Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva are tied for fourth on five points, while Divya Deshmukh is another half-point behind.

Former women’s world champion Tan Zhongyi sits in last place with 3.5 points.

Vaishali has been in the spotlight for her bold, attacking play, with three wins and just one loss so far. The Indian has shown strong intent, balancing ambition with calculated risk-taking.

After her clash with Goryachkina, she still has games against two Chinese players and Kateryna. With four rounds left, the tournament remains wide open, and a strong finish could still secure the title and a shot at world champion Wenjun later this year.

The ‘Open’ section has turned into a one-sided race, with Sindarov in commanding form on eight points out of 10. The Uzbek has been relentless, scoring six wins alongside four draws, and is now well placed to secure a shot at India’s D. Gukesh in this year’s World Championship match, barring a dramatic collapse in the final rounds.

Sindarov remains firmly in control, with the closest challenger Anish Giri trailing by two points and needing a near-miracle to stay in contention for the title.

Such has been Sindarov’s dominance that third-placed Fabiano Caruana is a further point behind Giri and effectively out of the race.