Gibbs beats teen with disability in Wimbledon qualies

Nicole Gibs (Stanford, 2011-13) beat 17-year-old Francesca Jones of Great Britain
6-4, 6-2 in the first round of Wimbledon qualifying. 2016 photo by Mal Taam

   Fifth-seeded Nicole Gibbs (Stanford, 2011-13) beat Francesca Jones, a 17-year-old wild card from Great Britain, 6-4, 6-2 today in the first round of Wimbledon qualifying.
   Jones, ranked No. 547 in the world, has just a thumb and three fingers on each hand and seven toes. She was born with Ectrodactyly Ectodermal Dysplasia (EED).
   Gibbs, a 25-year-old American ranked No. 111, is scheduled to play Italy's Martina Trevisan, a 24-year-old Italian ranked No. 169, for the first time on Wednesday. Trevisan defeated Maryna Zanevska, a Ukraine native who plays for Belgium, 6-2, 6-3.
   Kristie Ahn, who played with Gibbs on Stanford's 2013 NCAA championship team, outclassed Daniela Seguel of Chile 6-1, 6-3.
   Ahn, a 26-year-old American, will take on No. 23 seed Marta Kostyuk, a Ukrainian phenom who will turn 16 on Thursday, in their first meeting. Kostyuk reached the third round of the Australian Open in January as a qualifier.
   No. 20 seed Carol Zhao (Stanford 2011-14) of Canada lost to Deborah Chiesa of Italy 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
   On the men's side, Bradley Klahn (Stanford, 2009-12) of Poway in the San Diego region advanced to the last round of qualifying with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Antoine Hoang of France.
   Klahn, a 27-year-old left-hander ranked No. 170, will face 32-year-old Simone Bolelli of Italy for the first time on Thursday. Bolelli, ranked No. 153, eliminated Viktor Galovic of Croatia 7-6 (4), 6-3.
   Dennis Novikov, a 24-year-old San Jose product now living in Los Angeles, fell to countryman Christian Harrison, the younger brother of No. 58 Ryan Harrison, 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-3.