Smashing Finish: Albany High senior Allison Chaung

Since picking up a tennis racket at 8-years old, Albany High senior Allison Chaung has excelled at the sport.

Tennis runs in the family for the Chuangs, though. And after winning back-to-back North Coast Section singles titles in 2012 and 2013, Allison decided to choose family over history.

Rather than attempting to become only the second girls tennis player to win three straight NCS titles — and the first in more than 25 years — Chuang decided she’d rather chase a doubles title by playing alongside her younger sister Claire.

She still managed to join some pretty elite company.

Allison and Claire pretty much breezed through the NCS Division I Doubles Championships at Chabot College in Hayward on Nov. 18. The duo were awarded the No. 2 seed in the 16-entry bracket and won all four matches without dropping a set. The Chuangs defeated Novato’s Jenna Dorian and Elise Omholt 6-4, 6-0 in the championship match.

The title made Allison the first girls tennis player to win NCS titles in both singles and doubles. She’s the first to do so since Louani Bascara of Branson-Ross won two of each from 1994-97.

With her Father, having played since his youth, Allison was roped into the tennis atmosphere at a early age, and only got better and better. By the time she got to high school, her presence was known. Chuang immediately took over the top singles role for the Cougars as a freshman. Despite there being a two time league singles champ on the roster, Allison earned the right to handle the reins from the get-go.

She finished third in her first NCS singles tournament as a freshman.

“Her tennis game was very, very good,” said Albany tennis coach Sue Ford, now in her 12th year leading the Cougars. “Allison came aboard and was really a team player, and helped out the team. She is just a really good tennis player.”

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