Magnus Carlsen’s girlfriend Ella Victoria Malone speaks: ‘Hard to see when he is struggling in a game’ | Sports News
On a day world no 1 and five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen lost to India’s 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa in a round 3 clash at the Norway Chess tournament, the Norwegian’s girlfriend Ella Victoria Malone gave a rare interview, which ended up making headlines on all Norwegian media websites.
Talking to Norway’s TV 2’s Sverre Krogh Sundbø while Carlsen was taking on Pragg, Malone said: “I would say that I am a person who keeps to myself socially. Although I am good at socialising. But with all the cameras here, I’m overwhelmed. Sometimes it’s hard to go with him to these tournaments, but I do it because I want to be a good girlfriend and support him. But it’s something I’ve gotten used to,” the 25-year-old told TV 2, which is a broadcast partner for the prestigious Norway Chess tournament. Explaining why she usually doesn’t do media interviews, she said: “I think that media can take off with anything, so I try to keep away.”
Malone has been accompanying the world no 1 and five-time world champion to the playing arena for the Norway Chess event on all days so far along with Carlsen’s father Henrik and his long-time trainer Peter Heine Nielsen. In the short interview, Sundbø asked Malone if she gets nervous seeing Carlsen play.
“Absolutely. It is obviously very difficult to see when he is struggling in a game. But normally I’m pretty comfortable that he’ll win,” Malone said with a smile.
On Wednesday, Carlsen lost for the first time to Praggnanandhaa in classical chess, resigning after 37 moves. For Carlsen, an opening ploy which he himself deemed risky had backfired against Pragg, who held the upper hand in the game almost throughout despite being down on the clock.
