Well, I'm not surprised to hear some people weren't expecting Gukesh to come out on top in the end.
On that note, as you might've already seen this, here's a YouTube video where Magnus discusses his thoughts on the candidates — Side note: This discussion occurred prior to the start of the candidate tournament. Skip to 2:40, when he starts talking about GM Gukesh.
youtu.be/v0gYaXRq3SM?si=MAY7nAfp4xRYkRs_In a nutshell, Magnus believed that Gukesh simply wouldn't win the tournament. And, given Gukesh's track record, some people agreed.
I think it's pretty admirable how Gukesh went against all odds, ultimately surprising those who doubted the outcome.
Sometimes it is better for one to stay on the fence or say nothing at all about a given subject than to make inaccurate predictions — judging people's future based on their past performance and how one feels about them.
There are indeed times when it is safe to judge matters similarly. However, in the case of a chess tournament involving only GMs who are particularly well grounded, I believe it is especially risky to try to paint a picture of how things will turn out in the end based on their track record. Because of this way of thinking, Magnus' verdict was bound to be flawed.
Lastly, perhaps Gukesh's victory can inspire confidence in others, encouraging them to stand firm and focused on their respective goals in life, and not listen to naysayers who have a specific version of them that exists only in their heads.
Congrats to Gukesh.
Cheers
