Meenakshi, who now has 7.5 points, was held to a fighting 73-move draw by WGM Esha Karvade of Maharashtra, while Harika was held to a 31-move draw by WGM Nisha Mohota of West Bengal.
National Sub-junior girls’ champion Bhakti Kulkarni of Goa, who was in third place overnight, played rather listlessly to lose to P Priya of Tamil Nadu. Woman International Master Kiran Monisha Mohanty of Orissa scored an impressive win over WFM Bindu K Saritha of Kerala to move into the third spot with six points.
Former champion IM Tania Sachdev defeated World Junior girls’ champion WGM Soumya Swaminathan of Maharashtra. With this win, Tania has 5.5 points.
Results (round 9): WGM Meenakshi Subbaraman (7.5) drew WGM Karavade Eesha (5.5); WGM Mohota Nisha (5.5) drew IM Harika Dronavalli (7); CM Bhakti Kulkarni (5.5) lt to WIM Priya P (5.5); WIM Kiran Manisha Mohanty (6) bt WFM Bindu Saritha K (4.5); IM Tania Sachdev (5.5) bt WGM Soumya Swaminathan (4.5); WGM Gomes Mary Ann (5) bt Amrutha Mokal (4); Bharathi R (5) bt WGM Nadig Kruttika (4); WIM Sai Meera (4.5) drew WGM Aarthie Ramaswamy (4.5); Sithalatchumi A (4.5) bt WFM Pon N Krithika (3.5); A Akshaya (3.5) drew Savetha Ch (4); Saranya J (3) lt to WFM Swati Mohota (4); Pallabi Roy (3) lt to Cholleti Sahajasri (3.5); Supriya Maji (3) bye.
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