‘Vaishali didn’t even see chess for 15 days’: A miraculous story behind Candidates glory

Vaishali Rameshbabu’s journey to the Women’s Candidates title wasn’t easy. After a poor run in Chennai shattered her confidence, she even considered skipping the Grand Swiss. A crucial two-hour call with Karthikeyan Murali changed her mind. A mental reset helped her win the event, regain form, and now she prepares to face world champion Ju Wenjun.