Ding Liren, the reigning world champion, will begin a match in Singapore to defend his title against 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju, seen as the underdog.
Ding's physical and mental exhaustion led him to withdraw from competitions and return with a noticeably changed playing style, lacking confidence and struggling in games.
Ding's world ranking has plummeted from No. 3 to No. 23 as his poor performances included finishing last in multiple tournaments and failing to secure wins.
Magnus Carlsen questioned if Ding is permanently broken from his last world championship, expressing uncertainty about his current state and resilience.
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