NAMES & FACES

Zachary Orr

The Ravens’ leading tackler stunningly retired Friday after learning he has a congenital spinal condition. Orr, 24, joined Baltimore in 2014 as an undrafted free agent out of North Texas and became a starter this season at the middle linebacker position once held by Ray Lewis. Orr hurt his neck on Christmas Day against Pittsburgh. It was initially diagnosed as a herniated disk, but tests showed a deeper problem. “The CT scan revealed that I had a condition I was born with that less than 1 percent of the world has,” Orr said. “At the top of my spine, it was never formed completely. That puts me at a real increased risk.” He said he had no choice but to retire. “Everybody that broke down the situation to me was pretty much at a loss for words because they were trying to figure out how I had been playing football this long without anything major happening,” he said. “I look at it as a blessing to play football this long.” Orr had 132 tackles, three interceptions, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries this season.

Venus Williams

The tennis great, who advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday with a 6-1, 6-0 win over China’s Duan Yingying, is embracing her age. Asked about Australian great Margaret Court, Williams, 36, said she had a letter from the 24-time major winner hung on the wall in her room as a memento. “It’s a congratulations for me being the oldest person in the draw or something like that,” she deadpanned. But Williams, who is appearing in her 73rd Grand Slam singles draw — a record for the Open era — is serious about winning. “All I can say is it’s been a wonderful, wonderful career for me full of positives. That’s what I focus on,” Williams said. “I’m not coming all the way to Australia for kicks and giggles. I’m here as a competitor.”