0:00:13 > 0:00:17Hi, I'm Hayley - you're watching Newsround.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20First today we're talking about Kyle Edmund, the tennis player
0:00:20 > 0:00:23from Yorkshire who's through to the semifinals
0:00:23 > 0:00:25of the Australian Open Grand Slam.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Kyle's been busy hitting the practice courts today
0:00:27 > 0:00:29and taking selfies with fans.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32He takes on Croatia's Marin Cilic for a spot
0:00:32 > 0:00:34in the final tomorrow morning.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37But what about his fans back at home?
0:00:37 > 0:00:41These kids from Kyle's old school have been sending their support.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Pocklington School would like to give you really good luck.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48I hope you do well in this semifinal.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Good luck, Kyle, playing in the semifinals.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53I hope you have a fun time.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57It's really inspiring, because I am in the same class as him,
0:00:57 > 0:01:02and I am in the same seat as him as well.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05So, I just feel really inspired and really grateful that someone
0:01:05 > 0:01:10else that was famous came to our school as well.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13I feel really proud, because he came here and now I am here,
0:01:13 > 0:01:18and I might become a really good sportsperson like him.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Good luck, Kyle, and Mr Tyrrell and Mr Parker are looking
0:01:21 > 0:01:23forward for you to do it, so good luck.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25Go, Kyle!
0:01:25 > 0:01:27You're doing really good.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31You're so kind to come to our school when you only had three days,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34to spend one of the days at our school and come
0:01:34 > 0:01:36and sign 380 tennis balls.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39And we have still kept both of your tennis balls,
0:01:39 > 0:01:41because I have got a brother and he kept yours, too.
0:01:41 > 0:01:42And go, Kyle!
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Good luck!
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Well, that lot are all backing him.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50But what about the experts?
0:01:50 > 0:01:52The BBC's Russell Fuller is in Australia, so we asked him
0:01:52 > 0:01:54what he thinks about Kyle's chances.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57No British man other than Murray has reached this stage
0:01:57 > 0:02:00of the Australian Open for over 40 years.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Edmund is fairly quiet, fairly reserved.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05He loves his football though.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07He's a big Liverpool fan.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11And he's also into Formula 1 and motorbikes.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13He's an underdog, but he's playing with a lot of confidence
0:02:13 > 0:02:16and he hits his forehand more powerfully than virtually every
0:02:16 > 0:02:19other man on the Tour.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22These rugby captains have their eyes on the prize.
0:02:22 > 0:02:27They've been out for the official launch of the Six Nations today.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30The championship sees six countries battle it out on the pitch.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Men's and women's teams from England, Ireland,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Scotland, Wales, France and Italy will compete.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39The contest kicks off on Saturday 3 February.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Both the England teams are hoping to defend their titles
0:02:42 > 0:02:45to be named champions.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Now, you might recognise some of these characters from some
0:02:48 > 0:02:50of your favourite books.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53But have you ever wondered who the person is behind the drawings?
0:02:53 > 0:02:58Well, his name is Axel Scheffler and we've been to meet him.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Axel Scheffler is an illustrator who has delighted fans
0:03:01 > 0:03:06with his works for decades.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09He was born in Hamburg, in Germany, and came to the UK
0:03:09 > 0:03:15to study art in 1982.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Axel spent much of his childhood drawing.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21This is some of his work when he was just eight years old.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Since then he's illustrated over 100 books, many
0:03:24 > 0:03:28written by Julia Donaldson.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32These are just some of his most famous creations - like Stick Man,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36The Snail And The Whale, and Zog.
0:03:36 > 0:03:42But the most famous of all has to be The Gruffalo.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45So, how does Axel bring his ideas to life?
0:03:45 > 0:03:48When I get the text, I start doodling and trying
0:03:48 > 0:03:51to develop the character first.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Quite often I have an idea immediately what the characters
0:03:53 > 0:03:55should look like.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58But sometimes, like with the Gruffalo, the editor says,
0:03:58 > 0:04:00"Could you do him less scary?"
0:04:00 > 0:04:03So sometimes I have to adopt it a little bit.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07Visually I like the smaller rodent characters.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09They're easiest for me to draw.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11And what is the best thing about being an illustrator?
0:04:11 > 0:04:14I see so many families who love them and for whom the books
0:04:14 > 0:04:17are really important.
0:04:17 > 0:04:18It's a link between parents and children.
0:04:18 > 0:04:25It's also, of course, a nice occupation to just draw.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Finally - they're small, they're green, they're covered
0:04:28 > 0:04:32in sand and they might just be the cutest thing you'll see today.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36These are pictures of some of the 106 rare hawksbill
0:04:36 > 0:04:39turtles that have hatched on a beach in Singapore.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Hawksbills are critically endangered, so barriers were put up
0:04:41 > 0:04:43to keep them safe from predators.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45After some quick checks, the little swimmers were left
0:04:45 > 0:04:48to make their journey into the sea.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Good luck, guys!
0:04:50 > 0:04:51Thanks for watching.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54Newsround's back on your TVs tomorrow.
0:04:54 > 0:05:00Bye!