Ravens Pernell McPhee Happy To Be Back In Baltimore

Free agency robbed the Baltimore Ravens of some key leaders on defense during the offseason. Safety Eric Weddle signed with the Los Angeles Rams and inside linebacker CJ Mosley bolted to the New York Jets. However, the biggest surprise was outside linebacker Terrell Suggs’ departure.

When Suggs signed with the Arizona Cardinals, a link to the Ravens golden days was gone. However, Baltimore restored another link to the good old days when they brought free agent outside linebacker Pernell McPhee back.

McPhee posted six sacks as a rookie on the Ravens 2011 Super Bowl team. He was an integral part of Baltimore’s defense over the next four years. The Chicago Bears signed McPhee to a five-year $38.75 million deal in 2015.

After three seasons with the Bears, McPhee spent last season with the Washington Redskins. Now he’s back in Baltimore having signed a one-year deal.

“It’s home. This is where I was birthed at in the NFL,” McPhee said last month. “This is where the culture that I lived by and stand by is at. I get the chance to be myself; have fun and play like a Raven.”

The Ravens defense has seen its share of turnovers since McPhee was a young player trying to make an impact on a team looking to contend for a title. It’s kind of a role reversal because now he’s the veteran that is charged with enforcing the Ravens way for the next wave of players.

“You have a lot of young guys especially on the defensive line trying to figure things out,” McPhee explained. “My main thing is as long as you come in with the mindset of being physical and playing fast and being relentless, everything is going to work out. That’s the culture around here. It’s the Ravens way. I try to preach that every day and do it every day.”

Baltimore’s defense and Lamar Jackson’s dynamic playmaking ability fueled the team to an AFC North division title last season. The Ravens led the NFL in total defense (292.9 yards/game) and points per game (17.9) last year.

Defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale’s aggressive style should once again land the Ravens in the mix for top defense once again. McPhee is certain they have the necessary players to keep the Ravens tradition of stout defenses going.

“It’s cool. We still got some animals. We still got some dogs— just a lot of violent guys. We have guys that can play football. Since I’ve been back it’s been all love and trying to help these boys become the best football players they can be,” McPhee added.

Real Decisions And Moderation

Our lives are the summation of our decisions. We can decide to go forward. We can decide to stay the same. We can decide to make critical decisions that can make our lives better, healthier and more meaningful. Often, the worse decision is to make no decision at all.

If we decide to eat 3000 calories a day, we will probably gain weight. If we decide to cut back on daily food portions, we will normally lose weight. We make decisions about our eating patterns. Sometimes our decision is a strong mental assertion pertaining to what we are going to do every day. Sometimes our decision is to just follow our urges and satisfy any and all cravings without regard to what the outcome will be.

I suppose it would be nice if we could do whatever we want without worry of reaping what we sow but it doesn’t work that way.

If you drink soda pop, eat potato chips, candy bars and fatty foods, drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes every day you will have severe poor health. Our bodies were not made for all the junk we would like to consume. One sugary soda pop a day ups your risk of type 2 diabetes by 18 percent over ten years. Some people drink two or more every day. Consider some moderation and maybe drink one a week.

The decision to consume excessive amounts of alcohol will lead to fatty liver. Many people seem to be able to have two or three drinks a week without problems. However, excessive drinking can turn into alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. If you have become an alcoholic then you can’t drink occasionally. You have to stop and use all resources available so that you don’t start again. A very good friend of mine died two months ago from fatty liver disease. It wasn’t just from drinking alcohol, but it was part of her lifestyle that ended her life at an early age.

There are various causes of obesity ranging from overeating to physical inactivity to psychological issues and hypothyroidism and more. Which affects you? Is it your thyroid problem, or is it because you eat or snack four or five times a day? A fitness friend of mine says he eats five times a day. He looks fantastic but he never eats more then 300 to 400 calories per meal. This takes planning and determination, but he has proven it can be done. Some people simply have to limit their intake to one meal a day with maybe a tiny morning and late day snack. You’ll have to experiment with what works for you, but it will be your personal decision that no one else can make for you.

The point of all this is that we make our decisions and we need to think about what and how much we are putting in our mouths every day. A good meal with balance should be a daily pleasure and a wonderful, happy experience. Think about it and keep the practice of “moderation” and “balance” in mind.

Regardless, remember it’s important for “you” to take responsibility of your life and make real decisions.

Dr. Glenn Mollette is an author of 11 books and his column appears in all 50 states. For more information about Glenn Mollette, visit his website: glennmollette.comglennmollette.com.

Red Cross Offers Safety Tips For Students Heading Back To School

The school bells are calling students back to Maryland and Delaware classrooms and the American Red Cross wants to make sure your student is safe as they head back to school for the upcoming year.

“While safety is a top priority for all students, there are special steps for parents of younger kids and those headed to school for the first time,” said Scott R. Salemme, CEO – Greater Chesapeake Region of the American Red Cross. “Make sure the child knows their phone number, address, how to get in touch with their parents at work, how to get in touch with another trusted adult and how to dial 9-1-1. Teach children not to talk to strangers or accept rides from someone they don’t know.”

School Bus Safety

•If children ride a bus to school, they should plan to get to their bus stop early and stand away from the curb while waiting for the bus to arrive. Cross the street at the corner, obey traffic signals and stay in the crosswalk.

•Never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.

•Teach your student to board the bus only after it has come to a complete stop and the driver or attendant has instructed them to get on.

•Kids should board their bus only, never an alternate one.

•Make sure your student always stays in clear view of the bus driver and never walks behind the bus.

Getting to School by Car, Bike or on Foot

•If children go to school in a car, they should always wear a seat belt. Younger children should use car seats or booster seats until the lap-shoulder belt fits properly (typically for children ages 8-12 and over 4’9”), and ride in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old.

•If a teenager is going to drive to school, parents should mandate that they use seat belts. Drivers should not text or make calls use their cell phone and should avoid eating or drinking while driving.

•Some students ride their bike to school. They should always wear a helmet and ride on the right in the same direction as the traffic is going.

•When children are walking to school, they should only cross the street at an intersection, and use a route along which the school has placed crossing guards. Parents should walk young children to school, along with children taking new routes or attending new schools, at least for the first week to ensure they know how to get there safely. Arrange for the kids to walk to school with a friend or classmate.

Drivers, Slow Down!

Drivers should be aware that children are out walking or biking to school and slow down, especially in residential areas and school zones. Motorists should know what the yellow and red bus signals mean. Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is getting ready to stop and motorists should slow down and be prepared to stop. Red flashing lights and an extended stop sign indicate the bus is stopped and children are getting on or off.

Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety.

This includes two and four-lane highways. If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.

State Expands Cyber Reskilling Program

The SANS Institute announced the expansion of funding for its Cyber Workforce Academy – Maryland, a program designed to develop a cybersecurity talent pipeline across the state.

The Cyber Workforce Academy – Maryland was originally launched in 2018 through an Employment Advancement Right Now (EARN) Implementation Grant from the Maryland Department of Labor.

This year’s EARN grant renewal enables SANS to extend the Cyber Workforce Academy – Maryland through May 2021.

Whitney White, who graduated from the program in 2018, said she discovered the program through a friend. White said she was seeking a way to break into the field of Internet technology (IT) and her friend informed her of the SANS program.

Courtesy Photo

“Thanks to the [program], I could change career fields very quickly without the need to go back to school and take out more student loans,” White said about the 100 percent scholarship-based SANS program. “The program is the reason I have my job [in IT] today.”

Since its inception, the program has trained over 75 qualified Maryland residents, with a focus on enrolling women, veterans, and minorities. It has provided real world, hands-on cybersecurity skills often valued by employers.

Training is held at various locations throughout Maryland and online.

With the grant renewal, the program will be able to serve another 95 participants, according to program officials.

“The Maryland Department of Labor is pleased to continue our partnership with the SANS Cyber Workforce Academy through EARN Maryland,” Acting Secretary James Rzepkowski, said in a statement. “This program is successfully helping to meet the critical need for a highly skilled cyber security workforce while providing invaluable opportunities for women, veterans and minorities.”

Maryland graduates are working in a variety of technical cybersecurity positions for leading local employers like GEICO, IronNet Cybersecurity, and Booz Allen Hamilton.

Program officials said graduates are tripling their income and are making a difference by helping defend their employers’ networks and critical infrastructure.

They are working as cyber analysts, security analysts, SOC analysts, system administrators, and system engineers.

“My background is in event sales and marketing,” said White who earned several certifications that’s allowed her to work for one of the nation’s largest auto insurance companies. “I spent A LOT of time studying the course materials and doing labs over and over. I read up on basic computer science topics that helped me better understand the training and coursework. I also reached out to other people in my cohort and our mentor for help.

“They told us that this immersion program would be hard and intense but it was still more challenging than I thought it would be. Conversely, I was pleasantly surprised, by the many resources that SANS provided both during and after the program. This Academy is designed to really set participants up for success.”

Established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization, The SANS Institute’s accelerated cybersecurity training program offers students advanced technical training, industry-recognized certifications and the hands-on cyber defense and incident handling skills sought after by Maryland employers.

The Academy builds on the success of the SANS VetSuccess, Women’s, and Diversity Cyber Academies.

“If you are in the program, take advantage of all the resources that are offered and attend other local cyber security networking events,” White said when asked what advice she would give others in the program or those who might be considering signing up. “Make sure you are willing to commit to a lot of time studying and completing course work. In the end, it will be worth it. I promise.”

Program details and cohort schedules are available at https://www.sans.org/cyberworkforce-md.

Lashawn Daniels, Grammy-Winning Songwriter, Dead At 41

CNN

Lashawn Daniels

Originally Published: 04 SEP 19 13:50 ET

Updated: 04 SEP 19 19:44 ET

By Lisa Respers France, CNN

(CNN) — Lashawn Daniels, who helped write countless hits for artists like Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Jennifer Lopez and Michael Jackson, died Tuesday, according to his publicist JoJo Pada.

Pada told CNN that Daniels died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident.

He was 41.

His wife, April Daniels, also shared the news in a statement posted on social media on Wednesday.

“It is with deep sorrow and profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, family member and friend, Lashawn Daniels who was the victim of a fatal car accident in South Carolina,” her statement read. “A Grammy-award winning producer and songwriter, Daniels was a man of extraordinary faith and a pillar in our family.”

Known as Big Shiz, the New Jersey native worked closely with acclaimed producer/songwriter Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and was the pen behind some of the biggest hits from the 1990s and early aughts.

Some of his credits include Michael Jackson’s “You Rock My World,” “It’s Not Right (But It’s Okay)” by Whitney Houston, “Telephone” by Beyoncé featuring Lady Gaga and the now iconic Monica and Brandy duet, “The Boy Is Mine.”

He won a Grammy in 2001 for best R&B song as one of the writers on the hit single “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child.

This past June, Daniels told the Recording Academy for an article celebrating the song’s 20th anniversary that the tune was inspired by a relationship he had been in with a woman who worried about his faithfulness.

“I would be places, I would be at work, and if [my girlfriend] would call or hear anyone laughing, or speaking, or doing anything in the background, she’d be like, ‘Who is that?'” he said. “Then she’d be like, ‘Well, say my name then, and tell me that you love me.’ “

“[The song] was actually the premise of what I would go through, and we had the conversation of ‘how embarrassing is that,” Daniels added. “Beyoncé was in a relationship at that time, and she could relate well to the situation.”

The song has had staying power. Rapper Drake used the hook in one of his own recordings, which Daniels talked to Parle Magazine about last year.

“I think as a writer, one of my proudest moments are when I hear the newer artist that’s popping, great and respected, sample a song that I worked on,” Daniels said. “Then when they mention you on Instagram, it becomes ‘Wow! I didn’t even know y’all dug into credits like that.'”

Daniels found love with his wife April, a hair stylist and clothing designer, and they had three sons together.

The pair were regulars on the 2012 WE reality series “Tamar & Vince” featuring their close friends singer Tamar Braxton and her then husband, record executive Vincent Herbert.

In 2013, Daniels was nominated for Grammy for his work on Braxton’s single “Love and War.”

He had a great love for gospel music and last year released his debut album as a solo artist, “The Big Shiz Project.”

News of Daniel’s death was greeted Wednesday with an outpouring of grief from the music industry on Twitter.

“The entire music community is feeling the loss of one of the greatest to ever do it,” legendary gospel artist Kirk Franklin tweeted. “LaShawnDaniels…we just stood together a week ago. No words.”

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Rihanna Is One Of The Stars Aiming To Help The Bahamas Recover From Dorian

CNN — The destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas has prompted several celebs to step up and offer their support.

At least 7 people were killed when Dorian battered the area and many people have been rescued from devastating flooding.

Barbados native Rihanna tweeted her support and said she is exploring how to help via her Clara Lionel Foundation.

“It truly breaks my heart to see the complete devastation that #HurricaneDorian is having on the Bahamas,” she wrote. “You are in our prayers and @ClaraLionelFdn is already figuring out how best we can help! #HurricaneDorian #Bahamas.”

Rapper/actor Ludacris has announced that the proceeds from his annual charity event, LudaDayWeekend, will go to help the Bahamas.

“Over 100k Raised over The Weekend!!,” he posted on his official Instagram account. “THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT!!”

“Real Housewives of New York” star Bethenny Frankel took to her Instagram stories on Labor Day to say she and members of her B Strong charity organization were flying out to offer disaster relief.

“I’m headed to Florida and the Bahamas now and I hope you’re having a good Labor Day and I will keep you posted on what’s going on but it’s pretty narly,” Frankel said in a video as she was en route to the airport.

“My team is already at our warehouse pulling together all of our relief, and thank you all so much for offering.”

Rapper/music executive Luther “Luke” Campbell tweeted that he is organizing a way for Floridians to help.

“Ladies and gentlemen we’re forming a powerful group of men and women of the Miami community to support our brothers and sisters in the Bahamas please stay tuned we look forward to your support,” he wrote.

Court-Ordered Mediation In Maryland HBCU Case Ends without Agreement

Court-ordered mediation of a 13-year old case brought by a coalition of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) has ended without a resolution.

The passing of the deadline without a deal has further frustrated efforts for fair funding that the coalition is seeking to help level the playing field with non-black institutions in Maryland.

The U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals had imposed a July 31 deadline for the Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education to settle the case with the state.

“There was no resolution,” said Jon Greenbaum, the chief counsel for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, which represents the coalition of HBCUs, which includes the universities of Coppin State, Morgan State, Bowie State, and Maryland Eastern Shore.

The case was initially filed in 2006 when the coalition alleged the state practiced discrimination against its HBCUs by deliberately underfunding the universities and by allowing traditional state schools to continue to create new degree programs that were duplicative of those at the historically black institutions.

The coalition also argue that the state’s actions have placed pressure on enrollment at HBCUs.

They have demanded increased funding and, to achieve parity, they’ve asked the state to merge the University of Baltimore with Morgan State, which is Maryland’s largest public historically black university.

In 2013, Judge Catherine Blake of the U.S. District Court of Maryland, found the state in violation of the 14th Amendment rights of its HBCU students and alumni.

Her ruling said Maryland continues to “operate vestiges of a de jure system of segregation,” specifically by continuing a longstanding practice of duplicating academic programs offered at HBCU’s, rather than investing in making the HBCU programs attractive to a diverse range of students.

In 2017, after initial failed mediation between HBCU advocates and the state of Maryland, Blake ordered parties back into court.

Blake then ordered the state to remedy the lack of investment in Maryland’s HBCUs, and mandated that Maryland officials establish a set of new, unique and high-demand programs at each HBCU.

“The Plan should propose a set of new unique and/or high demand programs at each HBI, taking into account each HBI’s areas of strength, physical building capacity and the programmatic niches suggested by the plaintiff’s experts,” Blake wrote in a November 2017 ruling.

In January 2019, the court again ordered mediation between the parties and set the July 31 deadline for the parties to resolve the dispute.

“The HBCU coalition leading the lawsuit on behalf our HBCUs is doing a great service for our institutions,” Deborah Powell-Hayman, the president of the UMES National Alumni, said in an earlier interview with NNPA Newswire.

“This case holds more promise than anything I know, for getting the number and mix of academic programs, facilities and funding to make our alma mater as competitive as traditionally white institutions in attracting quality students, faculty and staff and federal grants and contracts,” she said.

The Maryland Attorney General’s Office has declined to comment.

“What we’re hoping for is that this case can get resolved not too long from now and that the HBCUs will be in a more competitive place,” Greenbaum told Maryland Matters, a website that focuses on Maryland government.

Serena Williams Advances To US Open Quarterfinals But Injures Her Ankle

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Serena Williams

CNN

Serena Williams advances to US Open quarterfinals but injures her ankle

Originally Published: 01 SEP 19 16:47 ET

By Ravi Ubha, CNN

(CNN) — When it comes to her health this year, Serena Williams just can’t catch a break.

Williams rolled her left ankle holding a match point against Karolina Pliskova at the Australian Open in January and ended up relinquishing a 5-1 advantage in the third set of their quarterfinal.

Then came illness in Indian Wells in March, a troublesome — and lingering — knee injury and back spasms in Toronto last month that forced her to retire in the final against one of 2019’s breakout tennis stars, Bianca Andreescu.

If all that wasn’t enough, Williams rolled her right ankle at the US Open Sunday against 22nd-seed Petra Martic.

It came at 2-2 in the second set after Williams just hit a volley at the net.

And even though the 37-year-old ended up prevailing 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals — her 99th win at the US Open in her career — she worryingly needed a medical timeout.

How thus will the ankle hold up as Williams continues her bid to collect a record-tying 24th grand slam title?

In the short term, she’ll face maiden grand slam quarterfinalist Wang Qiang of China, who upset French Open winner and No. 2 Ashleigh Barty.

It had all been going so well for Williams, too.

Great start for Williams

The American struck winner after winner in the first set, 21 in total, to just seven unforced errors against a gifted, tenacious competitor having the finest season of her career.

Not long after the opening set came the injury.

Williams went on to win the next point after her fall and broke for 3-2 but glanced worryingly at her player box that included mom Oracene Price, husband Alexis Ohanian — the Reddit co-founder — and coach Patrick Mouratoglou. The medical timeout ensued.

Williams didn’t win another point on serve — losing 10 in a row — after her injury against Pliskova in Melbourne and duly struck a double fault into the net on her first point on serve following Sunday’s tweak.

Yet there would no repeat of the outcome, with Williams holding for 4-2 and never letting the lead slip.

She raised her arms in celebration after the win: Williams not only overcame Martic but the ankle injury. How Williams’ ankle feels on Tuesday will be a pertinent question.

Pliskova, the 2016 finalist in New York and No. 3 seed, fell to French Open semifinalist Johanna Konta of Great Britain 6-7(1), 6-3, 7-5, surrendering a set and 3-1 advantage.

Federer now cruising

But Roger Federer is now breezing after a slight hiccup in the first two rounds, crushing pal David Goffin 6-2, 6-2, 6-0.

The flashy Goffin upset Federer at the year-end World Tour Finals in London in 2017 but admitted facing the huge crowd favorite in the largest regularly used tennis stadium in the world was much more difficult.

“Sometimes you’re like, ‘OK, I’m feeling maybe ready now to make a good match against him, try to make some good things on the court,'” Goffin, 1-9 vs. Federer, told reporters.

“But as soon as you are there, first match on (Arthur) Ashe against him, you can feel all the 20,000 people are behind him as soon as he hit the ball. All of a sudden every shot is 10 times tougher than usually.

“All of a sudden what you felt the day before during practice or the last matches, it feels completely different.”

Defending Champion Naomi Osaka Ends Coco Gauff’s US Open Run, Then Comforts Gauff Afterward

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Defending Champion Naomi Osaka Ends Coco Gauff’s US Open Run, Then Comforts Gauff Afterward

Defending champion Naomi Osaka ends Coco Gauff’s US Open run, then comforts Gauff afterward

Originally Published: 31 AUG 19 20:23 ET

Updated: 01 SEP 19 07:09 ET

By Jill Martin, CNN

(CNN) — Coco Gauff will not match her magical Wimbledon run — and Naomi Osaka’s quest to defend her US Open title continues.

In a blockbuster third-round matchup and in their first career meeting, the world No. 1 and 21-year-old from Japan bested the 15-year old American 6-3, 6-0 on Saturday to advance to the round of 16.

After the match, in a move not seen often in tennis, Osaka embraced Gauff and asked the teen if she would share her interview with her on court at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Gauff initially said she didn’t want to do it, because she knew she would cry.

“She encouraged me to do it,” Gauff said through tears to ESPN.

Gauff went on to say: “I’m going to learn a lot from this match. She’s been so sweet to me, so thank you for this. Thank you.”

After Gauff finished her interview, she said, “Thank you, Naomi. I don’t want people to think that I’m trying to take this moment away from her, because she really deserves it.”

Before ESPN could ask Osaka a question, she went up to Gauff and gave her another hug, which drew roars from the crowd.

Osaka then was asked what it is like to mentor someone like Gauff.

“I don’t think I’m a mentor,” Osaka said to ESPN, and then turned to Gauff’s player box, which included the teen’s parents. Both Osaka and Gauff live in Florida and have known each other for a few years.

“You guys raised an amazing player,” Osaka said through her own tears.

“I remember I used to see you guys training in the same place as us,” Osaka continued. “For me, like the fact that both of us made it, and we’re both still working as hard as we can, I think it’s incredible. I think you guys are amazing. I think, Coco, you’re amazing.”

‘It’s better than crying in the shower’

Gauff became an overnight sensation in July when she reached the fourth round of Wimbledon, beating the likes of Venus Williams in the process.

In her run, she also became the first 15-year-old to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon since Martina Hingis in 1996. Gauff’s Wimbledon came to an end at the hands of eventual champion Simona Halep, who lost Thursday to 23-year-old American Taylor Townsend.

In her post-match press conference with reporters Saturday, Gauff said Osaka “really showed sportsmanship.”

“After the match, I think she just proved that she’s a true athlete,” Gauff said. “For me the definition of an athlete is someone who on the court treats you like your worst enemy but off the court can be your best friend. I think that’s what she did tonight.”

Gauff also said she was glad she was able to experience that moment with Osaka, and she shared some of what Osaka said to her.

“She told me it’s better than crying in the shower,” Gauff said. “She convinced me, like, multiple times to stay. I kept saying no. Finally I said, ‘OK, I’ll do it.’ Because I didn’t know what to do. I’m happy that she kind of convinced me to do it because, I mean, I’m not used to crying in front of everyone.”

For Osaka, she said her decision to ask Gauff to do the interview with her was instinctive.

“When I shook her hand, I saw that she was kind of tearing up a little,” Osaka said to reporters at her press conference. “Then it reminded me how young she was.

“For me, at least when I lose, I just come into the locker room and I cry, then I do press, like, here. I love you guys, but it’s not the greatest. Then I was thinking normal people don’t actually watch the press conferences unless they’re, like, fan fans.

“The people that are out there, they’re probably going to just stay and watch the next person who’s playing, then they go home, and they wouldn’t know immediately what’s on her mind.

“I was just thinking, like, it would be nice for her to address the people that came and watched her play. They were cheering for her.”

Osaka next will face No. 13 seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, who received a walkover to the fourth round when Anett Kontaveit withdrew ahead of their match due to illness. Bencic leads Osaka 2-1 in the head to head. Those two wins from the Swiss came this year, at Indian Wells and Madrid.

Osaka became the first Japanese player to win a major singles title when she defeated her idol, Serena Williams, in last year’s US Open final, making her a megastar. The Japanese-Haitian, who has dual Japanese and American citizenship, won her second grand slam crown at the Australian Open in January. She is bidding to become the first woman to defend the US Open since Serena Williams won three in a row from 2012 to 2014.

This was Gauff’s first match against an opponent ranked in the top 5 in her career. She was looking to be youngest player to reach the fourth round at the US Open since Anna Kournikova in 1996.

The youngest player in the draw, Gauff was making her US Open singles debut as a wild card. Her tournament is not yet complete, however, as she’s teaming up in women’s doubles with 17-year-old fellow American Caty McNally, who lost to Serena Williams on Wednesday.

Gauff and McNally defeated Julia Goerges and Katerina Siniakova in the first round and will face the No. 9 seeds, Nicole Melichar and Kveta Peschke, in the second round Sunday. The pair claimed the women’s doubles title at the Citi Open in Washington earlier in August. In 2018, Gauff and McNally won the US Open girls’ doubles title.