Indian Sports wrap, October 25: Chennai to host 1st Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Chess Tournament

Here are India’s major updates, scores, and results from the world of sports on Sunday, October 25.

Updated : Oct 25, 2026 17:19 IST , CHENNAI - 3 MINS READ

REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE: The Chola Chess Open will offer players the opportunity to earn Grandmaster, International Master, Woman Grandmaster and Woman International Master norms. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

CHESS

Chennai to host 1st Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Chess Tournament

The inaugural Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Chess Tournament, a FIDE-rated event, will be held from 30 October to 7 November 2026 at ITC Welcom hotel, Cathedral Road, Chennai. The tournament will bring together 80 players, including 20 Indian grandmasters and 12 grandmasters from other federations.

Every participant is rated 2250 or above on the FIDE scale, with 75 of the 80 players holding a FIDE title.

The tournament will offer players the opportunity to earn Grandmaster (GM), International Master (IM), Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and Woman International Master (WIM) norms. FIDE’s title regulations set requirements for the mix of federations and for the titles and ratings of opponents, so a field with substantial foreign participation and a high average rating is particularly valuable for players pursuing norms.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Ravindra Kumar Kundu, MD & CEO, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company, said, “India’s emergence as a global chess powerhouse requires sustained access to world-class competitive match play. At Chola Foundation, we remain committed to strengthening India’s competitive chess ecosystem and developing the next generation of champions.”

- Team Sportstar

TENNIS

Karan Singh claims ITF M25 Mumbai, fourth title of the year

Karan Singh clinched his fourth title this year on the ITF circuit on Sunday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Karan Singh continued his sensational run of form on the ITF circuit, capturing the men’s singles title at the USD 30,000 ITF Men’s World Tennis Tour M25 tournament at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association in Cooperage, Mumbai on Sunday.

The third-seeded Karan got the better of Digvijay Pratap Singh in the final after Digvijay was forced to retire when Karan was leading 7-5, 3-1.

Competing on the outdoor hard courts, both players went toe-to-toe in a fiercely contested opening set that lasted just over an hour, with Karan eventually breaking through to take the set 7-5. Carrying that momentum forward, Karan established a 3-1 advantage in the second set before Digvijay was unfortunately forced to retire after one hour and 32 minutes of play, officially handing Karan the championship trophy.

The 23-year-old Karan clinched his fourth title of the 2026 season.

Karan navigated the entire tournament draw in Mumbai without dropping a single set. He opened his campaign in the Round of 32 with a composed 6-4, 6-4 victory over Nitin Kumar Sinha. In the Round of 16, he put on a serving clinic, holding 10 of his 11 service games, to overcome qualifier Adil Kalyanpur 7-5, 6-3 in an hour and 38 minutes.

After advancing past seventh seed Sidharth Rawat in the quarterfinals via retirement (3-4 ret.), Karan delivered a masterclass in the semifinals against Chirag Duhan. He maintained an impeccable 100 per cent hold rate on serve (winning nine out of nine service games and 71.4 per cent of his service points) to cruise past Duhan 6-3, 6-2 in just an hour and 19 minutes to book his spot in the finals.

- Team Sportstar

Published on Oct 25, 2026

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