Mysha Omer Khan, naturally left-handed, began playing badminton right-handed due to her sister Taabia's dominance with the right hand in Dubai's junior circuit. However, Mysha lost interest in badminton in 2018 and switched to gymnastics. Her passion for badminton reignited when Taabia started winning tournaments. Determined, Mysha decided to play with her left hand exclusively. This decision paid off significantly, culminating in her recent victory at the prestigious All England Junior Badminton Championships in Birmingham.
The 15-year-old won her first singles title by defeating Suneri Chinthalapati of the US in straight sets. Previously, Mysha had won several doubles titles with Taabia, who is also a skilled singles player. Winning her maiden singles title at the All England, one of the most significant tournaments in world badminton, was particularly sweet for Mysha. "I am really happy because this was my first title in singles, I have won a few in doubles. But winning the first in singles is really big and especially since it came at the All England, which is such a big tournament, I am really, really happy," Mysha shared with the Khaleej Times from London.
Mysha, a Grade 11 student at Indian Academy Dubai, also secured runners-up in doubles with Taabia, contributing to a memorable performance for UAE's young shuttlers. Taabia won mixed doubles gold with Bharath Latheesh, and the UAE concluded the tournament with two gold, one silver, and one bronze medal. "It feels really good because globally people don't know much about badminton in the UAE," Mysha noted. "When we go for tournaments abroad, they don't expect much from us. So it's wonderful to have these wins, we are showing them now that we can also play badminton at a high level," she added, crediting Dubai's training facilities for their development.
Mysha, who trains six hours a day, now aims for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. "I want to play the Olympics in the future. I am aiming for the 2028 Olympics," she stated. Inspired by players like An Se-Young and Carolina Marin, Mysha aspires to meet them and learn from their high-level play. To optimize her performance, her father hired a nutritionist, ensuring Mysha and Taabia follow a strict diet six days a week, sacrificing sweets for peak fitness.
