Hikaru Nakamura defeated Levon Aronian 3-2 in the Esports World Cup 2025 quarterfinals after a five-game battle. The match remained tied at 2-2 after four games before Nakamura secured victory in the decisive 5th game.

Aronian had advanced to the quarterfinals by winning Group A after qualifying through Last Chance Qualifier., while Nakamura qualified through the lower bracket from Group C after losing to Team Falcons teammate Firouzja in the group stage.

The Esports World Cup 2025 takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 29 to August 1. The tournament features 16 players competing for a $1.5 million prize pool with 10+0 rapid time control. Nakamura will face either Magnus Carlsen or Nihal Sarin in the semifinals