Indian Grandmaster R Vaishali etched her name in the history books once again by winning the FIDE Women's Grand Swiss 2025 for the second consecutive edition. With a hard-fought draw against former world champion Zhongyi Tan of China in the 11th and final round on Monday, Vaishali sealed her spot in the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament, the gateway to a shot at the World Championship title.

Sharing the top spot with Kateryna Lagno of Russia, both scoring 8 points out of a possible 11, Vaishali was declared the tournament winner thanks to a superior tie-break score, having faced higher-rated opponents across the event. Lagno, who settled for a quick draw against Ulviyya Fataliyeva of Azerbaijan, also secured her berth in the Candidates as one of the top two finishers.