Women's World Cup: Song stuns A. Muzychuk

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
7/15/2025 – The third round of the Women's World Cup concluded with six matches decided in tiebreaks, completing the round-of-16 lineup. While most favourites advanced, 19-year-old Song Yuxin upset Anna Muzychuk to join fellow rising stars Meruert Kamalidenova and Umida Omonova in the next stage. All three had already secured impressive victories earlier in the event. A rest day now follows before the tournament resumes in Batumi with the final sixteen players. | Photo: Anna Shtourman / FIDE
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Kamalidenova and Omonova the biggest underdogs in the round-of-16

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The third round of the Women's World Cup in Batumi concluded on Monday with six tiebreak matches determining the final places in the round-of-16. Ten matches had already been decided in the classical section by Sunday, meaning that only a third of the round required additional games. A rest day now follows before the final four rounds of the knockout tournament begin.

Two of the biggest surprises of the round were already confirmed before Monday's tiebreaks, as 19-year-olds Meruert Kamalidenova (Kazakhstan, 59th seed) and Umida Omonova (Uzbekistan, 81st seed) both secured 1½-½ victories in the classical games. Kamalidenova defeated Anna Shukhman (27th seed, FIDE), while Omonova overcame fellow outsider Elnaz Kaliahmet (80th seed, Kazakhstan). Both players had reached round three after upsetting high-profile opponents in the previous stage - Kamalidenova eliminated defending champion Aleksandra Goryachkina and Omonova knocked out Alina Kashlinskaya.

In the tiebreaks, most of the favourites prevailed. Georgia's Nana Dzagnidze defeated Valentina Gunina, while 2021 World Cup champion Alexandra Kosteniuk got the better of Meri Arabidze. Harika Dronavalli beat Stavroula Tsolakidou, while Vaishali Rameshbabu eliminated Carissa Yip in a match of rising stars.

The only upset came in the match between Anna Muzychuk and China's Song Yuxin. After losing the first tiebreak game, Song impressively bounced back by winning the third rapid game and securing a draw in the fourth to advance.

With the conclusion of the round, the sixteen participants who remain in contention have been decided. Notably, the three lowest seeds remaining in the knockout - Kamalidenova, Omonova and Song - are all 19 years old. Their continued success adds a strong youthful presence to the final stages of the competition.

Alexandra Kosteniuk

Alexandra Kosteniuk | Photo: Anna Shtourman

Stavroula Tsolakidou, Harika Dronavalli

Harika Dronavalli defeated Stavroula Tsolakidou | Photo: Anna Shtourman

Carissa Yip, Vaishali Rameshbabu

Vaishali Rameshbabu knocked out three-time US women's chess champion Carissa Yip | Photo: Anna Shtourman

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Muzychuk 0-1 Song

Analysis by André Schulz

Song Yuxin, Anna Muzychuk

Anna Muzychuk playing white against Song Yuxin | Photo: Anna Shtourman

Vaishali 1-0 Yip

Analysis by André Schulz

Vaishali Rameshbabu

Vaishali Rameshbabu | Photo: Anna Shtourman

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Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.