BENGALURU: Five years ago, Koneru Humpy had what she called an "unexpected" win. She had made a comeback to competitive tournaments a year earlier at the 2018 Batumi Olympiad, following a self-imposed break to navigate a tough pregnancy, its attendant prenatal complications, and the motherhood that followed.
When she arrived in Moscow for the 2019 World Rapid and Blitz Championship, there was little to suggest that she could be a title contender. "Humpy, why do you even want to play rapid which you're really no good at when you could stick to classical?" her old foe Ju Wenjun chuckled ahead of the tournament. Humpy battled through racy tiebreaks after a three-way tie for first-place to win her first women's world rapid title. Only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to win the world rapid crown. On Saturday, in New York, the 37-year-old Indian Grandmaster did it a second time - this time without the need for tiebreaks. China's Ju and Russia's Kateryna Lagno finished runner-up and in third place respectively.
Humpy is now tied with Ju as the only players to have won the Women's World Rapid title twice. Last year, Humpy finished runner-up in the rapid.
This story is from the December 30, 2024 edition of Hindustan Times Thane.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 30, 2024 edition of Hindustan Times Thane.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Sports Ministry, IOA Back Different Set of IGU Officials
The sports ministry has given its stamp of approval for the Indian Golf Union (IGU) election with Brijender Singh as president and Satish Kumar Sharma as secretary.
In EPL, Santo Gets Forest Out of the Woods
Nottingham Forest have begun 2025 in contention for a Champions League spot.
Seniors, head coach under BCCI scanner after debacle at MCG
IF ROHIT SHARMA DOES INDEED MOVE ON FROM TEST CRICKET, VICE-CAPTAIN JASPRIT BUMRAH APPEARS SET TO BE APPOINTED NEXT INDIA CAPTAIN
Without Bumrah, series would've been one-sided
Aussie pace great McGrath lauds India spearhead who has been a one-man force with 30 wickets in the four Test matches yet
Carlsen shares World Blitz title with Nepomniachtchi
World No.1 sealed pact with Russian after 7 games in the final to share a global title for the first time
Teen golfer Avani set for LET with a new mindset
Avani Prashanth, among India's most promising young golfers, sat down with her coach after the LPGA qualifying series in the USA, where things slid drastically despite her coming in feeling upbeat about her game.
Slow Sales Cloud $500-Bn Goal for Local Electronics
India's cooling consumer electronics market has put a question mark on its lofty aim to achieve annual revenue of $500 billion from electronics manufacturing.
Commercial LPG, ATF prices cut for first time in 6 months
In a New Year gift to the people, government-owned oil marketing companies (OMC) reduced prices of commercial cooking gas for the first time in six months on Wednesday with immediate effect.
Air India Plans To Expand In 2025, Says CEO Campbell Wilson
Air India's chief executive officer Campbell Wilson in an internal mail on Wednesday announced that the airline has expansion plans in 2025 and that it is set to grow remarkably in the years to come.
Rupee fall exacts a quiet toll on FPI investments
The steady slide of the rupee against the dollar has significantly hit the dollar returns of foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in India, despite the local currency being among global currencies least affected by a stronger greenback.
