Caro sisters win Iowa Open doubles title

CEDAR RAPIDS - Vale and Magui Caro took on the Baird Iowa Open tennis tournament this week at Veterans Memorial Tennis Center, playing individually and as a doubles team.

The sisters from Swisher have been playing together almost as long as they've been playing tennis, giving them a unique advantage.

'We understand each other,” Magui, 17, said. 'We know our strengths and our weaknesses. We have our disputes but we get through them.”

Magui finished fourth in the 18 singles division on Thursday while Vale, 16, lost to Lily Feldman in the finals of the 16 singles division. She had to turn around less than an hour later to play in the 18 doubles final with Magui.

They won, 8-6.

'(Doubles) is a lot different from singles,” Vale said. 'If you know who you're with and who you're playing against, you can mentally prepare.”

Vale, a junior this fall, and Magui, a senior, play for Prairie High School. The pair has a rigorous practice schedule, playing five to six days a week for up to two hours.

'For the most part, it's fun,” Vale said. 'We know each other well tennis wise and off the court.”

Between the two, they've had significant success in their high school careers. In 2014, they were Class 2A state doubles semifinalists. This spring, Vale was eighth in singles at state. The two were looking forward to playing doubles at state, but Magui developed mono just before regionals and was unable to play for a month.

'We had been practicing doubles with our coach and other adults,” Vale said. 'We thought we were going to do really well. It sucked not having her by my side.”

After recovering, Magui started training for June and July tournaments. The duo has played in six tournaments so far this summer and are looking forward to the Kansas City district qualifier and a tournament in Midland, Minn. in August.

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