Green & Lambert win singles at the 2017 Canadian Racquetball Championships

Mike Green and Frédérique Lambert are the 2017 Canadian Racquetball Champions in Men's and Women's Singles, respectively, as they won the final matches Saturday at the 2017 Canadian Racquetball Championships in Brossard, Québec. Green's victory was his 11th Canadian title, and makes him the winningest Canadian Men's Singles champion, moving him one ahead of Sherman Greenfeld, who finished his career with 10.

Lambert's win was the 2nd of her career. Her win was relatively straightforward, as she defeated the defending Women's Singles Champion, Jennifer Saunders, 15-7, 15-8, Saturday.

But there was nothing straightforward about Green's win. He dropped the first game to Samuel Murray, who made regular appearances on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) this season, 15-12, and fell behind early in game two, when Murray led 5-1.

However, the veteran Green battled back, and tied it at 5-5, and then led 6-5 before they tied again at 6-6. Murray again took the lead by winning five unanswered points to make it 11-6.

Green then ran four points to make it 10-11, so Murray called timeout, but that didn't stop Green's run that continued until he was up 14-11. But Murray fought off the first game point, who started with a drive serve to the right side, which returned with a forehand cross court shot for a winner.

Murray scored a point, making it 12-14, but then gave up the serve. Green's second game point ended when Murray hit a forehand pinch shot that ended a long rally. Murray thought he'd scored a point on the next rally, but Green appealed Murray's forehand pinch shot, and the line judges overturned the referee's call, so Murray lost serve.

Green won game two on his third game point with a backhand that went down the line, sliding on the sidewall and rolling out at the front wall.

The tie-breaker was back and forth. Murray took the lead at 8-4, although only to see Green come back and tie it 8-8. Three sideouts, and then Murray broke the tie. He scored two points to lead 10-8.

On match point #1, Green hit a forehand cross court that hit Murray as he tried to get out of the way. But Murray got the serve right back with a forehand pinch shot off a back wall set up. Yet again Green fought off that match point; he did so this time with a forehand pinch shot.

Murray then skipped two backhand shots, the second of which was off a diving get. With the score 10-10, Murray called a timeout, and before play resumed Green called a timeout. On the ensuing rally, a hinder was called on Green, and Murray appealed for an avoidable, but the line judges upheld the referee's hinder call.

One forehand pinch shot got Green his first match point, and a second won him the match, as Green ended a long rally that included two great gets by Murray.

During the match, Green generally served his usual drive serves, although to both the forehand and backhand sides. He did hit a few kiss lob serves to Murray's backhand. Murray used a variety of serves, including some drives to both the left and right sides, as well as lob serves to both sides.

2017 Racquetball Canada National Championships
May 22-27, Brossard, Québec

Men's Open Championship

1) Mike Green d. 2) Samuel Murray, 12-15, 15-12, 12-10

3rd Place

3) Tim Landeryou d. 5) James Landeryou, 15-6, 15-10

5th Place

6) Pedro Castro d. 8) Nathaniel Husulak, forfeit

7th Place

7) Nicolas Bousquet d. 4) Lee Connell, 15-3, 15-0

9th Place

11) Trevor Webb d. 13) Michael Leduc, 15-7, 15-2

11th Place

7) Tanner Prentice d. 17) Jeremy Renaud, injury forfeit

Women's Open - Championship

1) Frédérique Lambert d. 2) Jennifer Saunders, 15-7, 15-8

3rd Place

3) Christine Richardson d. 5) Michèle Morissette, 15-6, 15-9

5th Place

6) Valeri Fallu d. 8) Alexis Iwaasa, 12-15, 15-8, 11-5

7th Place

4) Danielle Drury d. 10) Erin Geereart, 15-11, 15-7

9th Place

9) Cassie Prentice d. 7) Catherine Foisy, 15-13, 15-7

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