Representing Hexamind Chess Club, the 18-year-old Indian talent faced off against the Chinese powerhouse, who was playing for the WR Chess Team. In an electrifying 74-move encounter, Divya outsmarted Yifan, who made a crucial error by losing her bishop in a theoretically drawn rook vs. bishop endgame.
In the blitz format, Divya secured six wins, one draw, and only one loss out of eight games, achieving an impressive performance rating of 2606. She subsequently excelled in the third-place playoff, leading her team to a 3.5–2.5 victory over Uzbekistan in both rounds to clinch the team bronze medal.
Following her triumph, union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also commended Divya on her stunning victory over the World No. 1, “Heartiest congratulations to our chess star Divya Deshmukh on her stunning win over world No. 1 Hou Yifan in the 2nd leg of the Blitz semifinal at the World Team Blitz Championships in London. Wishing you the very best for the future games," he posted on X.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has also congratulted Divya. In his post on 'X' he wrote" Congratulations to our very own Divya Deshmukh from Nagpur, Maharashtra! What an extraordinary moment as she defeats World No. 1 Hou Yifan in the Blitz Semifinals, London 2025. Her fearless moves, sharp focus, and unshakable determination have not only secured a historic".