Latest news with #TexasChristianUniversity
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Students Shoot for NASA Space Missions With ‘Mutant' Seam Design
While many dream of going to space, a team of college students may one day have a design of theirs used in orbit. A quartet of undergraduates from Texas Christian University won the 2025 Best Innovation Award in the Technology Collaboration Wearables Workshop and University Challenge at NASA's Johnson Space Center last month. The competition in Houston was held during NASA's Spaceflight Human Optimization Conference on April 29. More from WWD Lauren Sánchez Bezos Balances Severity and Shine in Balenciaga's Knife Pump in Paris Katy Perry Plays With Proportions in Balenciaga's Surreal Space Pump at Paris Couture Week Celebrities Front Row at Balenciaga Fall 2025 Couture: Lauren Sánchez Bezos, Nicole Kidman and More The students set out to create flexible understated seams that prevented lunar dust from permeating as part of their project 'Optimized Suit Environmental Protection Garment Seams.' Two fashion merchandising students Adelaide Lovett and Suzanna Tesfamicheal joined forces with two biochemistry students Daisy Li and Amarige Yusufji. Initial attempts created a seam that was too bulky so Lovett tried folding it differently, which led to the final result. Three types of seams were tested — French, flat-felled and a custom-engineered 'mutant' seam — using different fabrics and threads. While a flat-felled seam — like one found on a pair of jeans — can be seen from the outside, the mutant seam was folded inward so that the extra material is encased inside of the garment. TCU fashion merchandising professor Leslie Browning-Samoni, who steered the undergrads through the research and development, said, 'The reason that we did that was when the extra material is on the outside, that can collect more dust.' Felix Arwen, a softgoods engineering technologist at NASA, mentored the students. Browning-Samoni helped the team to standardize the seam construction, stitch length, needle type and other elements of the process. Early prototypes were made with such high-performance fabrics as Kevlar, Teflon and polyurethane-coated textiles that were sewn with either polyester or nylon thread. 'In order to understand if the seams repelled or mitigated dust penetration, we needed to test it. The students came up with the way to test it to determine how much dust went through,' Browning-Samoni said. Unable to get actual lunar dust, the team bought lunar regolith simulant, a terrestrial material that is synthesized to approximate the chemical, mechanical, mineralogical and other properties of lunar dust. That was then used in a rock tumbler in an hours-long process, Browning-Samoni said. The seams were first sewn into little pouches that were weighed before and after the tumbling to see how much the weight changed, which was an indication of how much dust was permeating the seam. Afterward, the penetration of the materials was examined under Keyence Microscopes, and then photographed to see what had happened at a micro-level, she added, Explaining how lunar dust is hazardous, abrasive, and sticky, Browing-Samoni said after space walks, astronauts do not want any particles to get into their spacecrafts to avoid damaging equipment. Whether the mutant seam will ever be used by NASA for future space missions remains to be seen. Acknowledging a media request inquiring about the possibility of that, a NASA spokesperson said the appropriate Johnson Space Center contact is unavailable until Monday. NASA is teaming up with Axiom Space to provide next-generation spacesuits for the agency's expanded mission portfolio including its Moon Surface Mission. For 50-plus years, NASA astronauts have performed spacewalks outside of the International Space Station for maintenance and upgrading purposes, while wearing the Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit. That design was created for the Space Shuttle Program in the 1980s — long past its intended design shelf life. With more advanced spacewalking and more complex exploration goals on tap, the new suits are meant to act as 'personal spaceships' for the astronauts, according to NASA's site. Implementing cutting-edge technologies such as ones that improve the wearer's mobility and enhance life support systems are part of the aim. For the Blue Origin space flight that Lauren Sanchez was part of in April, she partnered with Monse's Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia to create custom suits. For that 11-minute excursion, Jeff Bezos' now wife was joined by pop star Katy Perry, CBS' Gayle King, film producer Kerianne Flynn and scientists Amanda Nguyen and Aisha Bowe. Other designers and brands have used spacesuits in more novel ways. In 1969, Pierre Cardin was so intrigued by space travel that he visited NASA headquarters and tried on an Apollo 11 spacesuit. Decades later, during John Galliano's Dior years, he donned a space suit for the end of the house's fall 2006 show. And even the snowboard brand Burton used space suits for design inspiration for U.S. Olympians' uniforms on the mountain. Open to incorporating other applications of the mutant seam in other ways, the team is open to exploring how it might help to prevent other chemicals and particles from penetrating PPE apparel or gear. Using such seams for added protection for workers, who spray fields with pesticides, is being explored, Browning-Samoni said. 'We don't want to just use it for one area. We want to see where else it could be applicable.' She and a TCU colleague Charles Freeman, who also worked with the students on the project, are members of NC170: Personal Protective Technologies for Current and Emerging Occupational and Environmental Hazards, a research group comprised of 16 colleges and universities that aims to assess and improve PPE and protective clothing. Browning-Samoni said, 'Based on the mitigation aspect of the seam it could have great potential in this realm.' In order to win the innovation award, the TCU team had to deliver a formal pitch to NASA judges and present their work during an interactive session with conference attendees. Their exhibit featured a scientific poster, seam samples, a slideshow and microscope imagery of the dust-impacted materials. Their excursion wrapped up with a tour of NASA's Johnson Space Center, including its Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility, where space flight crews train. They also stopped by their mentor Arwen's lab to check out some real-time innovations that are being developed in astronautics. Like the students, Arwen had participated in the challenge years ago, when he was an undergraduate. 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Yahoo
09-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Unschooling' Is the Twist on Homeschooling That Lets Kids Take the Lead
Unschooling is an educational trend that allows kids to choose the topics they'd like to learn, and their own method of learning, whether its through art, outdoor play, or other activities For homeschoolers, unschooling is an intriguing twist on education that gives kids independence and agency However, education experts warn that there might be downsides to this trend—and that its not a good fit for every familyOn the list of things as long as CVS receipts that parents have to worry about, their child's education is probably near the top. Most parents want their children to grow up to have common sense, the ability to think critically, to read and write, at the very minimum. But traditional schooling doesn't always fit every families' lifestyle or values, especially those that feel their child is being forced into a curriculum or school environment that supports or even understands their needs as a student. Sometimes parents may even feel that in-person schooling, or even the rigors and demands of homeschooling, don't fit their children's learning style, either. So some of them have turned to unschooling. So what exactly does it mean to unschool your child? And can it be accomplished responsibly? More importantly, can children actually derive an education that sets them up for success without a curriculum? Parents spoke to experts so you can determine if unschooling is right for you. Unschooling is defined by the Alliance for Self-Directed Education as an educational method focused on self-chosen activities and life experiences of the learner, rather than a structured school day. Children choose the topic that most interests them for the day. Some days, they may do a deep dive on biology, or another, painting or drawing. Other days, a child might elect not to learn anything at all in favor of playing outside. Children wake up, take breaks, and engage in educational activities whenever it suits them. Unschooling allows kids to learn when and how they want to, with as much parental oversight as guidance as the specific family using this technique deems necessary, instead of providing a schedule or structure. Julie Bogart, homeschooling advocate and author of The Brave Learner, says the method de-emphasizes the importance of curriculum. Unschooling 'is the belief that children learn best in the context of their own lives and experiences, and can learn anything through their natural curiosity and relationship with parents and other people,' she explains. Unschooling is accomplished at home, without testing or benchmarks, but with intensive parental involvement, says Curby Alexander, PhD, Professor of Professional Practice at Texas Christian University. 'A phrase you will hear unschooling parents and children use is: 'Life is learning, learning is life.' This means time is not divided into school, play, recreation, and work. Rather, learning is natural, incidental, meaningful, ubiquitous, and personal,' he says—meaning learning can happen incidentally throughout the regular course the day, and happening everywhere to kids all the time, whether they are at the grocery store with their parents or looking at the trees and flowers on family hike. The National Center for Education Statistics estimates that 3.4% of children K-12 were homeschooled in the 2022-2023 school year. Of that number, the School Library Journal reports between 10-20% are unschooled. While unschooling is a subset of homeschooling, it is also very different from the regimented, curriculum-based methodology of homeschooling. 'Homeschooling can be as linear and curriculum driven as traditional school. Unschooling in its purest form is education led by the child, supported by the parent, with no structure of evaluation or traditional school curriculum,' explains Bogart. Dr. Alexander agrees, noting that homeschooling typically has a set schedule—like a normal school day, children go to classes and have lunch break and recess. 'Unschooling, on the other hand, is typically unstructured, guided by the child's interests and preferences, and does not involve anything associated with schooling. No curriculum, no assignments or tests, no schedule,' he elaborates. With so much flexibility, parents may wonder: Would unschooling work for our family? We've rounded up both the upsides—and downsides—of this nontraditional education approach. One of the major benefits of unschooling is removing your child from the stressful environment and structure of the school building and all systems that go with it. All parents know how anxiety inducing it can be to get a bad grade on a test, and the kind of peer pressure kids go through during difficult classes and social situations. Unschooling takes the pressure off by dropping the grading system altogether—and it also motivates to engage with topics that inspire or excite them, rather than being incentivized to learn through the threat of a bad grade. 'Unschooling allows parents the freedom to go at the pace of their child's abilities and to tailor the environment of the home to the child's development and curiosity,' Bogart adds. Kids who don't experience the grade incentive inherent to traditional schooling may actually enjoy their education more because the pressure of attaining a perfect A is no longer hanging over their head; plus they get to dive as deep as they want into the subjects that really light up their brain, rather than being forced to veer off in another direction once a certain lesson plan has been completed. 'Parents of unschooled children have told me this removes the negative aspects of traditional schooling (e.g., bad grades, missed assignments, test anxiety, etc.) and makes the learning process much more enjoyable and personally rewarding,' says Dr. Alexander. Everyone knows how boring classes can be when they aren't tailored exactly to your talents or interests—but sometimes studying the same thing as everyone else, whether you're enjoying it or not, is just part of life, thanks to strict laws around curriculum at many public schools. Except that's not the case with unschooling. Unschooling allows kids to choose what they want to learn and when, so learning never feels like a chore. Kids are actually initiating the learning process on their own. 'Rather than following a curriculum designed by someone else, unschooled kids can take a deep dive into learning and follow their own interests,' Dr. Alexander explains. A child can study science as deeply as they want, but eventually they'll need math to get even further in that topic. As a matter of course, they'll double back to study math until their aptitude lines up with their study of science. The hope is, kids will learn even the most difficult subject matter as they dig into other areas of study. Bogart unschooled her four school-aged children for a year, and says that part of what she loved was how each child had a choice in what they wanted to learn. 'I loved what I learned from unschooling: the profound respect for learning because you want to, the opportunity to "go rogue" and learn what interests you rather than forcing yourself to learn because someone else tells you to, and the gift of supporting my kids rather than dragging them through textbooks and worksheets,' she says. Both children and parents enjoy the amount of quality time at home they have. Because unschooling is a kind of homeschooling, children are at home more often than those in traditional schooling. 'Parents also get to participate in a way that facilitates a child's passions, interests, and aptitudes,' says Bogart. Unschooling can teach parents so much about their children—the kinds of things they care about and prioritize, especially in learning. Then, they can have fun learning together. 'I have heard parents tell me they enjoy all the time they get to spend with their kids. Since their kids are not required to follow a set schedule, they can prepare and eat meals together, do fun activities during the day, and help with chores around the house,' says Dr. Alexander. Unschooling can be a difficult balancing act. On the one hand, parents don't want to stifle their child's natural unfolding of their child's learning style, but on the other, they don't want to end up enforcing the rigid curriculum they set out to abandon in the first place—and they definitely don't want to set up a system where kids feel like all household rules have disappeared and its okay to ride their bike outside all day without once picking up a book. 'One of the biggest challenges I see is that sometimes parents are afraid to guide their children's learning (fearing they will be disqualified from being seen as unschoolers),' Bogart says. Children can become 'nomadic' in the home as they search for stimulation, she explains, and parents can panic and back off so they don't infringe upon their child's learning development. That's why its important for parents to make it clear that unschooling gives their kids more autonomy over their educations, but it doesn't that the parents are no longer in control of their upbringing—even if means reigning them when they become unfocused or disinterested in learning. Potentially the largest risk of unschooling is falling into a trap of educational negligence. Because children choose their own schedule and topics, parents might get the impression that their learning is no longer a shared responsibility, Bogart says. 'The biggest drawback to unschooling is the idle, uninvolved parent—that's the parent who neglects the child and doesn't participate in supporting their child's growth and development through intentional interactions and deliberately strewing [this is the practice of casually placing educational tools or activities in a child's environment to encourage self-directed learning] materials and opportunities,' she continues. But parents of unschoolers need to continue to be involved, modeling interest in learning and the stamina to follow through with support when children come up against new skill sets that might need extra help mastering—there are also opportunities for parents and students to collaborate on science and art projects, games, and other activities that would benefit from teamwork. At the end of her first unschooling year, Bogart took a step back from her kids to assess their progress. Two of her children loved unschooling, but two were very uncomfortable; the freedom felt less like fun and more like abandonment. 'I also learned that for some kids, that level of "freedom" [in unschooling] felt a bit like neglect. We of course corrected the next year and I was able to give them what they needed and wanted—guidance and accountability,' she explains. Dr. Alexander says that when he leads his class on unschooling, the most lively discussion of the year breaks out among future educators: Can children really be given the responsibility of their own learning, when basic skills like reading and early math are so important—but also so challenging to pick up? 'Because my students were all future educators, they had strong opinions about children only learning what interests them. They would argue that there is a lot of knowledge and skills a child needs to know in order to function in society, including basic reading, writing, and math proficiency and social skills,' he says. The structure of traditional schooling allows kids to hit all those educational milestones through a set schedule of classes—Bogart agrees that a challenge aspect of unschooling is that level of structure exist in this education model. 'Another possible negative consequence of unschooling is that sometimes in an attempt to support a child's interests, the fundamental skills are not practiced enough,' she explains. Unschooled children who need to pick up difficult-to-learn skills need to be taught stamina and commitment by their parents, rather than focusing on their happiness or satisfaction in the short term. That means encouraging them to return challenging subjects, even if they weren't their favorite, in order to reinforce the subject matter lest the skills they accumulated be lost while they are putting too much focus on another subject they enjoy more. Teenagers sleep in, little kids go to bed early and take long naps. Children of all ages can find sitting still and reading for long periods of time a serious challenge. And all kids want to play computer games. And they don't always have the discipline to dedicate themselves to necessary tasks that don't seem to matter in the moment (like practicing their vocabulary and literary skills over and over)—even though learning them now might have serious consequences later. But because unschooling doesn't typically feature a set schedule, there isn't necessarily guarantee that your kid is going to carve out the time to revisit certain lessons or skills. And then the flexibility that initially seemed like a positive can swiftly become a hindrance. Dr. Alexander's students 'would question whether or not the child was being set up for success in a society that clearly has expectations around punctuality, schedules, policies, and yes, doing things you don't want to do (paying taxes and buying car insurance come to mind).' When you're a kid, not following a set schedule seems like a boon—but making the bus or getting to class on time have real-world consequences. They teach children how to manage their time effectively, setting them up for future the end, your child's educational path needs to fit their learning style, and your family's lifestyle, and unschooling has become one way for parents to cope with that reality. Unschooling can work for families who desire flexibility and freedom from a traditional schooling structure, all while allowing kids to explore topics like science and literacy at their own pace—without the stress of set class times and grades. And while unschooling may come with certain challenges, it can be a gratifying, freeing experience that allows children to take the reins in their own education—but it is imperative for parents to stay engaged and interested in their child's education if it's going to the original article on Parents
Wales Online
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Wimbledon star Cameron Norrie's real nationality as girlfriend links to pop star emerge
Wimbledon star Cameron Norrie's real nationality as girlfriend links to pop star emerge Wimbledon star Cameron Norrie faces Spain's Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday Cameron Norrie with girlfriend Louise Jacobi Cameron Norrie and Carlos Alcaraz lock horns in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon on Tuesday. Norrie saw off Nicolas Jarry in a four-hour epic on Sunday to book his place in the last eight, while second seed Alcaraz had to come from a set down to beat Andrey Rublev 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4 6-4 under the lights on Centre Court. Both players will be feeling it from their last-16 encounters and the Spaniard says playing the British No3 is a "nightmare". 'Facing Cam is always really, really difficult,' said Alcaraz. 'We have really difficult battles already. 'For me facing him is almost a nightmare, to be honest. Really tough from the baseline. I'm not surprised he's in the quarter-final playing great tennis because I've seen him practising. 'When he lost at Queen's, he stayed for five days practicing morning, afternoon and night. Article continues below "I saw him. So I'm not surprised at all seeing his level. "So it's going to be really different. 'He's playing at home, as well, so he's going to use the crowd on his side. I have to be really strong mentally and focused to play good tennis if I want to beat him.' Norrie is the last British hope left in the tournament in the singles - let's get to know him a bit better away from the court. Upbringing and nationality It's fair to say Norrie had a colourful and varied upbringing. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to a Scottish father David and a Welsh mother, Helen, who hails from Cardiff, the family moved to New Zealand when he was just three years old in 1998 after their house was burgled. "I don't remember too much about it, but my mum told me it got a little bit too dangerous so we moved to New Zealand," he has said previously. Aged 16 he moved to London for three years before hopping across the Atlantic to Texas Christian University. In 2017 he left university to turn professional. He then based himself out of London, and now lives in Monaco. Having lived all over the world and with different influences on his lifestyle, Norrie has mixed accent, often described as Kiwi. "I'm pretty Scottish, I think," he told The Guardian in August 2017. "My dad was born in Glasgow, my mum in Cardiff. I've been to Scotland a few times but I don't like the weather." Net worth The 29-year-old is reported to have a net worth of around £4million. His career earnings are said to amount to around £9million over the course of his career, with brand deals also contributing to that; he has link-ups with Ralph Lauren, Uber and Lotus UK. If he were to beat his Spanish opponent today and book himself a spot in the semi-finals, he would bank £400,000. The winner of this year's tournament will see their bank balance swell by a cool £3million. Designer girlfriend Norrie is currently in a relationship with Louise Jacobi, an American fashion designer. The pair have been together since 2019, after being introduced by mutual friends in New York. A first date was quickly proposed, with Norrie asking her to watch him play in Vienna. "When he asked me, I thought, 'I guess this guy doesn't live a normal life, and it's not like I can meet (him) down the street and go to dinner together,'" she once admitted. "So I went on this trip and was only supposed to be in Vienna for five days, and things just went really well. "In some weird way, I was like, 'Thank God I got laid off when I did' because we were able to build the foundation of our relationship before Covid hit." Louise Jacobi, partner of Cameron Norrie of Great Britain (Image:) The couple now live in Monaco. Norrie once got an invitation from musician star Jon Bon Jovi, thanks to Louise's connections. 'He recently started loving tennis and Louise knows his family. So I was in Miami and he invited me to his place for lunch and to hit with him,' the former top-10 player told Tatler. Since then, Bon Jovi has turned up at some of the Brit's matches. Raducanu question Norrie was left stunned by a question in his Wimbledon press conference last week following his win over Mattia Bellucci 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-3. He was blindsided by the line of questioning from a journalist who did not want to speak about Norrie's exploits on the court, instead blunting asking him if he was in a relationship with Emma Raducanu. The journalist said: "Congratulations again on your win. "Apart from everyone here loving tennis, some of the gossip has been about who Emma Raducanu is dating. Can I ask if you're dating her? Can we get to the bottom of this, please?" He replied: "Sorry?" Article continues below The reporter doubled down, saying: "We're trying to find out who is dating Emma Raducanu. It seems to be going round all the men's singles. I was just wondering if you are dating her, please?" Norrie replied: "I'm not, no. You can ask her, though. You can ask her. I don't know," before he swiftly turned away.
The South African
07-07-2025
- Sport
- The South African
South Africa-born Brit sets up Wimbledon showdown with Carlos Alcaraz
Johannesburg-born Cameron Norrie believes 'Wimbledon just got real' after booking a quarter-final clash with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, following a gruelling five-set victory over Chile's Nicolas Jarry on Sunday. The 29-year-old British number three outlasted Jarry in a marathon encounter to reach the last eight at SW19 for the second time in his career. Norrie's previous best at Wimbledon came in 2022, when he reached the semi-finals – coincidentally, the last time Alcaraz lost a match at the tournament. Since then, Alcaraz has established himself as one of the sport's dominant forces, winning two Wimbledon titles, two French Opens, and a US Open, while Norrie's ranking slipped from world No 8 to as low as 91. But this fortnight, Norrie is on a resurgence and is on the brink of re-entering the world's top 50. Despite his underdog status, the left-hander says he's ready for the challenge. 'It only gets tougher from now,' Norrie admitted. 'There's still lots of matches to be played and lots of matches to be won. I'm happy with how I pulled up after the Jarry match – my body feels good, and I'm in a good place.' Carlos Alcaraz, 22, hasn't been at his dominant best in the early rounds, dropping four sets so far, including one to Andrey Rublev in his fourth-round win on Sunday evening. Nevertheless, the Spanish superstar isn't taking anything for granted ahead of Tuesday's encounter. 'Facing Cam is always really, really difficult,' Alcaraz said. 'For me, facing him is almost a nightmare, to be honest. He's really tough from the baseline, and I'm not surprised he's in the quarter-finals – he's playing great tennis.' Alcaraz also acknowledged the home-court advantage Norrie enjoys, saying he will need to be 'really strong mentally' to overcome both his opponent and the partisan British crowd. Norrie has beaten Alcaraz twice in their careers, including their most recent meeting in the Rio Open final in 2023. The centre-court showdown between Norrie and Alcaraz is scheduled for Tuesday, 8 July with a place in the Wimbledon semi-finals. Cameron Norrie was born on 23 August 1995 in Johannesburg to British microbiologist parents. His father David is Scottish from Glasgow and his mother Helen is Welsh from Cardiff. In 1998, when Norrie was three, he and his family moved to Auckland in New Zealand, after being victims of a burglary in South Africa. Norrie said: 'I don't remember too much about it, but my mum told me it got a little bit too dangerous so we moved to New Zealand.' In 2011, aged 16, he moved to the United Kingdom. He lived in London for three years before attending Texas Christian University in Fort Worth in the United States from 2014 to 2017. In June 2017, he ended his studies at TCU to turn professional during the grass court season of the 2017 ATP Tour. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
South Wales Argus
05-07-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Cameron Norrie and Kartal flying the home flag at Wimbledon
On court, there have been two Camerons too – lethal one day and lacklustre the next. And there's another L-word that forms a crucial part of his game: loyalty, Norrie's rise to the world's top ten masterminded by close friend Facundo Lugones. However, form and fitness saw unseeded Norrie arrive here outside the world's top 50, prompting suggestions he should make a change. Top players are not known for reflecting for long, with the job security of a tennis coach measured in months, not years. Norrie and Lugones – who nicknames the British No. 3 'chicken' – were friends and team-mates at Texas Christian University and have worked together since 2017, when he made his Grand Slam debut at the All England Club. The son of a Welsh mother and Scottish father, born in South Africa, raised in New Zealand, studied in the United States, representing Great Britain and coached by an Argentine, Norrie is certainly the Boutros Boutros-Ghali of tennis. 'I didn't know what to expect when we started working together but the important thing was, we had trust,' said Norrie. 'It's a really unique relationship. He's passionate about tennis like me, and I never feel like we are sick of each other. 'He knows what it takes to be a top player and we've got confidence in each other. I think he does a good job of being a friend and coach. 'I trust in all my team and it's not just about doing that when things are going well.' Norrie has certainly ridden the rollercoaster since the high of his semi-final appearance here three years ago but that's nothing compared to fourth round opponent Nicolás Jarry, with either defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or Andrey Rublev waiting for the winner. Jarry hit the world's top 16 in 2022 but soon after was diagnosed with vestibular neuritis, a condition which affects his vision and balance, pretty essential for a deep run in Grand Slam tennis. You'd have got long odds on Norrie and Sonay Kartal being the last British players in their respective singles draws on middle Sunday. Kartal is charting new territory in a Grand Slam last 16 with Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova her opponent, just one place separating them in the rankings at number 51 and 50 respectively. But the British number three has been playing without fear this week, happy to fly under the radar, with the focus on Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper. Loving your support at @Wimbledon 🍓 Sonay Kartal has a message for you! — LTA (@the_LTA) July 4, 2025 Karaoke-loving Kartal is happily writing her own tune at the All England Club and the winner of this encounter will face either Linda Noskova or Amanda Anisimova in the quarter-finals. Since the age of six, Kartal has been coached by Julie Hobbs, who as Julie Pullin reached the second round here a quarter of a century ago. She spotted something immediately in the ambidextrous 23-year old but unlike Raducanu, who benefited from LTA support from a young age, Kartal had to earn her funding, though insists fighting for recognition improved her game. 'When I was growing up, I did quite a lot of tournaments on my own just because I couldn't afford to pay a coach week in and week out," she said. 'It helped me develop as a teenager, grow up super-fast, made me much more mature, hold myself accountable to a lot of things. 'The LTA have helped me massively since and are a great supporter, but it was when I started to come on the scene and was putting together a few good wins consistently.' For the latest action on the British summer grass court season, check out the LTA website.
