Earlier this year, the 20-year-old Uzbek earned his shot at the title by winning the Cyprus Candidates with a round to spare. " Right now, I'm focusing on my next events: the Global Chess League and the Olympiad," he told reporters on Friday. " The Global Chess League (GCL) begins on Saturday.

com during an exclusive interview. " He has been a bit down, but I expect him to be in a fighting mood for the match. " Gukesh became world champion at 18, the youngest to do so.

Aronian sees an echo of an earlier era in that. " You know, you're so young and your lifetime dream just came too early. I think the same kind of thing happened to Mikhail Tal.

He also became a world champion too early. " There are so many choices to make, and it's definitely going to be an interesting match from a strategical point. I expect Sindarov to be continuing playing very interesting chess the way he's doing.

It's an interesting clash, I think. Asked whether failing to win the World Championship title himself was a source of regret, Aronian, who has been ranked World No. 2 and has won world titles in every format except classical, concluded, " I have no regrets whatsoever, because I never valued myself so highly as a chess player.

Of course, I have talent, and I'm better than many of the world champions in my understanding of chess. . Sometimes it just adds to the anxiety.