Gibbs reaches Honolulu semis in cancer comeback

Nicole Gibbs, serving in the Berkeley Tennis Club
Challenge last July, routed Quinn Gleason today in
the Honolulu quarterfinals. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Second-seeded Nicole Gibbs (Stanford, 2011-13), playing in her first tournament since undergoing cancer surgery, routed unseeded fellow American Quinn Gleason 6-3, 6-1 in 75 minutes today in the quarterfinals of the $60,000 Tennis Championships of Honolulu.
   Gibbs, a 26-year-old Southern Californian, had surgery for a rare cancer in the roof of her mouth on May 17 in Los Angeles.
   Gleason, a former Notre Dame star from Mendon, N.Y., reached the doubles final in the $60,000 Stockton (Calif.) Challenger last October with Luisa Stefani of Brazil. They narrowly lost to Americans Hayley Carter and Ena Shibahara.
   Gibbs will meet unseeded Caroline Dolehide, a 20-year-old native of Hinsdale, Ill., for the first time on Saturday. Dolehide beat Kayla Day, a 19-year-old left-hander originally from Santa Barbara, Calif., 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
   In the other semifinal, fifth-seeded Usue Arconada of Naples, Fla., will play unseeded Jamie Loeb, a 24-year-old product of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy in New York.
   Loeb, who turned pro after winning the 2015 NCAA singles title as a North Carolina sophomore, eliminated top-seeded Whitney Osuigwe, a 17-year-old phenom from Bradenton, Fla., 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
   In a late doubles semifinal, Carter and Loeb edged third-seeded Gleason and former Cal standout Maegan Manasse 3-6, 6-1 [11-9].
   Carter and Loeb beat 16-year-old wild cards Allura Zamarripa and Maribella Zamarripa of Saint Helena in the Napa area 6-1, 7-5 in the quarters.