GMWenjun Ju

Ju Wenjun learned chess at seven and developed her game in Shanghai. A strong Asian Championship performance in 2004 qualified her for her first Women's World Championship. She won China's women's championship in 2010 and again in 2014. Her unbeaten victory at Hangzhou in 2011 came ahead of Hou Yifan. She became a grandmaster in 2014. She graduated from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics the following year.

Winning the 2015-16 Women's Grand Prix earned her a world-title match. In May 2018 she defeated Tan Zhongyi to become women's world champion. She retained the crown in a knockout championship that November. Her 2020 defence against Aleksandra Goryachkina required rapid tiebreaks. Against Lei Tingjie in 2023, she won the decisive final game. She defeated Tan again in 2025, securing her fifth championship victory.

Ju also won consecutive women's world rapid titles in 2017 and 2018. She added the women's world blitz championship in 2024. Her team achievements include Olympic gold with China in 2016 and 2018. At Tata Steel in 2024 she defeated Alireza Firouzja in the open Masters tournament.