'Badminton is not a popular sport in our country. We have only 3-4 clubs where we can practice once or twice a week. Also we do not have any sponsor, and have to shell out from our pockets for everything, even for our travel,' she says.

Svetlana is now determined to see Misha develop into a world-class player. And as for Misha, he is excited at the prospect of playing with his mother at the Worlds here.

'It's exciting for both of us. In a way it's easy because we understand each other very well, but on the court it's purely a professional relationship,' he says.

Asked whether he gets chided by his mother while playing, Misha says: 'No. In fact, I sometimes point our mistakes, and she readily agrees.'

So, how long is he planning to play with his mother? 'Till I find somebody younger and that's not easy in Israel as not many play the game.'

Misha is the only Israeli to be making an effort to play in every international event. He is among the 50 professionals out of some 700 badminton players playing badminton in the country.

Svetlana and Misha were to play 11th-seeded British pair Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg, but await their new opponents after England's pull out from the Championships Sunday.

--Indo-Asian News service

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