Vaishali

Twenty-year-old Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov dominated the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament in Cyprus, securing victory with a round to spare and earning a world championship match against reigning champion Gukesh Dommaraju. In the women's event, India's Vaishali Rameshbabu clinched the title on the final day despite starting as the lowest seed. The tournaments highlighted the rise of young talents from India and Uzbekistan.