Christian Medina Murphy wins maiden FIP Rise title in Cairo

Teaming up with Spain’s Belar Vera Lopez, the duo defeated top seeds Maxime Moreau and Johan Bergeron 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 in an epic final at the Mountain View Club.

“I’m really happy, for me this title is so important,” said Murphy. “I had surgery in November and recovery has been difficult and you never know if you’re going to feel the same. I trained so hard over these months so to win this title gives me a lot of motivation and it’s really good for me.

“It was a tough match in the semi-finals and the final, coming back from 3-0 down in the deciding set. Our mentality was really important – I wasn’t feeling great, it was windy, and the conditions were very slow but we found a way to win.

“Now I want to keep pushing and to do well at the next tournaments coming up.”

Learn more about Christian Medina Murphy

This is Murphy’s first title on the Cupra FIP Tour since winning the FIP Promotion Elche in July last year and marks the biggest trophy of his career to date.

The Cupra FIP Tour is the first stage of the professional padel circuit, with five different levels of events – FIP Rise being the fourth level.

Currently ranked at world No.132 in the FIP rankings – the win helps Murphy take another step closer to breaking into the world’s top 100. So far this season he has also made the semi-finals at the FIP Rise Viña del Mar and has been a regular in qualifying for Premier Padel events, which offer more ranking points.

Fellow British No.1 Tia Norton was also in action in Cairo, making the quarter-finals with Netherlands’ Jannine Hemmes where they lost to second seeds Martina Fassio Goyenche and Camila Fassio Goyenche 6-3, 6-2.

Elsewhere, Britain’s Catherine Rose was a semi-finalist at the FIP Promotion Betsson with Japan’s Kotomi Ozawa. Rose and Ozawa were eventually beaten by top-ranked pair Liza Groenveld and Rosalie Van Der Hoek 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.