R Vaishali shocked the chess world just a few days ago with her back-to-back title win at the Grand Swiss 2025. She became the only player in history to win the prestigious tournament twice, that too, consecutively in both the open and women’s sections. This victory not only earned her the title but also gave her a spot in the Candidates Tournament 2026, where she will get a shot to challenge the current world champion, Ju Wenjun, and possibly become world champion herself.
More than that, she also earned a huge prize money and the confidence she had lost in Chennai. Grand Masters, where she lost a series of games. But, did you know, this historic moment wouldn’t have happened initially, as she lost all her hope. During a recent interview, she revealed that she decided not to play Grand Swiss 2025 after a nightmare run in Chennai, her hometown. So, what exactly changed her mind? Let’s see.
R Vaishali Almost gave Up On Grand Swiss 2025
Just weeks before her Grand Swiss win, R Vaishali faced a tough phase in her hometown of Chennai. Playing in the Challengers section of the Chennai Grand Masters, she suffered a brutal series of losses, dropping seven games in a row.
As she revealed later in an interview, “It might sound funny, but after Chennai, I decided not to play Grand Swiss. I felt so bad after this performance because I lost like seven games in a row straight, one week. And I mean it was very hard for me to recover.”
Yet, R Vaishali’s support system, her family, especially her brother GM Praggnanandhaa and her mother, played a crucial role in her comeback and convinced her to play.
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She said, “He has always been supportive, and in this tournament also, he was helping me in a few games. My mom, too, was in the tournament hall all the time, following both of us. It’s not easy, but my parents have always believed in me.”
GM Srinath Narayanan Calls It A “Funny” Incident
GM Srinath Narayanan, the Chennai Grand Masters’ tournament director, also said, “Vaishali winning it second time in a row, that was incredibly nice to see… She always has the potential and the character to bounce back. And I guess the Chennai tournament also, in a certain way, brought her tie-break down.”
The difference in the tie-break average rating was just one point. And Vaishali losing that rating recently (during the Chennai tournament) also helped her. So it’s a funny story, but I guess there’s always something positive to take from anything that happens.”
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Even R Vaishali agrees to this as later on she said, “In a way, I think that is the reason I won this tournament. But two weeks back, it was so painful for me to deal with it. Now I feel every such experience only makes you stronger. So I’m also grateful for this experience.”
Also read: PM Narendra Modi Applauds Vaishali Rameshbabu’s Historic Grand Swiss Win
