Ding Liren made history by becoming the 17th FIDE World Champion in chess, defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in the final game of the tiebreaks. In his first statement after the victory, Ding Liren explained his emotional reaction at the board: “I’m quite relieved. The moment Ian resigned the game was a very emotional moment. I couldn’t control my feelings. I know myself, I will cry and burst into tears. It was a tough tournament for me. I would like to thank my friends”.
The Chinese grandmaster dedicated his victory to friends, his mother and his grandfather. “I started learning to play chess at four years old and spent 26 years playing and analysing. I’ve tried to improve my chess ability in many different ways and using different methods. I think I did nearly everything. Sometimes there are tournaments when you are not so happy. Sometimes I struggle to find other hobbies to make me happy. But I was trying to learn from the best. The match reflects the deepest of my soul“, concluded the new World Chess Champion
