China: India's Grand Master Harika Dronavalli held on to her nerves on a nail-biting final day to capture the coveted Fide woman grand Prix chess title here on Thursday.
It was the India No 2’s biggest win till date, with her victory against top seed and compatriot Humpy being the icing on the cake.
Importantly, Harika now has a chance to qualify for the World Championship match, provided she maintains her form in the remaining Grand Prix events.
After losing in the 10th round to Anna Muzychuk, Humpy recovered quickly to finish second with wins against former women’s world champions Mariya Muzychuk and Antoaneta Stefanova in the last two rounds.
Harika has been a consistent performer, and has done well in the last few months. The 25-year-old gained rating 24 points in her last two tournaments.
"I was in a winning position," she said shortly after the win. "But I felt the pressure and couldn't play my best game. I am extremely happy as this is my first Grand Prix title."