It is an honor for me to face the legendary chess player Viswanathan Anand.
This was stated by Azerbaijani chess player Rauf Mammadov in his statement to
"Report", while talking about the meeting with the 15th world champion Viswanathan Anand, with whom he will face in the "Battle of Champions" tournament to be held in Baku.
The Azerbaijani champion assessed his chances in the games against his Indian opponent:
"It is an honor for me to face the legendary chess player Viswanathan Anand, who is a world champion and currently close to the top "10" in the FIDE ranking. As the champion of Azerbaijan, this was a surprise for me. I am currently performing in a tournament in Germany. I have met Anand before. I beat him 2:1 in the Vugar Hashimov Memorial. In my opinion, my opponent is the favorite. But I will try to compete well".
It should be noted that the "Battle of Champions" tournament will be held from April 27 to 30 at the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum. In another match, the Azerbaijani champion Gunay Mammadzada will clarify relations with the world and European champion Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria).