Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi and Pentala Harikrishna advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of the FIDE World Cup 2025 in Panaji, Goa, after impressive tiebreak wins on Thursday.
Erigaisi defeated Hungary’s GM Peter Leko in both rapid games to seal a 3-1 aggregate victory, while Harikrishna beat Sweden’s GM Nils Grandelius 2.5-1.5. However, R. Praggnanandhaa bowed out after losing to former World Rapid Champion GM Daniil Dubov. With Pranav V. and Karthik Venkataraman exiting earlier, two of the three Indians in the tiebreaks progressed. Erigaisi now faces Levon Aronian, while Harikrishna meets Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara in the Round of 16.