2021 Canadian National Racquetball Championships

Samuel Murray and Frédérique Lambert are the 2021 Racquetball Canada National Champions in Men's and Women's Singles, respectively, as they won the titles this past weekend in Brossard, Québec. In the Men’s Final, Murray defeated Coby Iwaasa, 15-8, 15-4, while Lambert beat Christine Keay in the Women’s Final, 15-13, 15-2. The victories should put Murray and Lambert on the Canadian team for the 2021 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships that are still anticipated to happen in Guatemala in late November.

Murray also won Men’s Doubles as he and brother Tommy successfully defended the title they won two years ago by defeating Iwaasa and Trevor Webb, 15-4, 15-7, in the final. However, Lambert and partner Michele Morissette lost in the semi-finals to sisters Juliette and Marjolaine Parent, 9-15, 17-15, 11-8. But then the Parents were beaten in the final by Keay and Cassie Prentice, 15-10, 15-11.

Overall, Murray won his 3rd consecutive Men’s Singles title, and his 5th Men’s Doubles title (3rd in a row and the last two with brother Tommy). Lambert’s Women’s Singles title was her 3rd. Keay (née Richardson) has won three Women’s Doubles titles now (the previous two were with Morissette), and Prentice won her first National Championship.

The players who made the singles semi-finals should be named to the Canadian National Team for the World Championships. That would be Samuel Murray, Coby Iwaasa, Lee Connell and Trevor Webb on the Men’s side, and Frédérique Lambert, Christine Keay, Alexis Iwaasa and Juliette Parent on the Women’s side. It will be the 1st time on the team for Parent, and just the 2nd times for Alexis Iwaasa, Connell and Webb.

Connell’s first appearance on the team was in 2009, so if he goes this year, it will be 12 years between 1st and 2nd appearances, which would be a record.

2021 Racquetball Canada National Championships September 16-19, 2021 - Brossard, Québec

Men's Open

Final

1) Samuel Murray d. 2) Coby Iwaasa, 15-8, 15-4

3rd Place

4) Lee Connell d. 3) Trevor Webb, injury forfeit

Semi-finals

1) Samuel Murray d. 4) Lee Connell, 15-5, 15-1
2) Coby Iwaasa d. 3) Trevor Webb, injury forfeit

Quarterfinals

1) Samuel Murray d. 9) Francis Guillemette, 15-11, 15-0
4) Lee Connell d. 5) Kurtis Cullen, 10-15, 15-5, 12-10

3) Trevor Webb d. 6) Tanner Prentice, 15-6, 15-7
2) Coby Iwaasa d. 7) Michael Leduc, 15-5, 15-0

Women's Open

Final

1) Frédérique Lambert d. 2) Christine Keay, 15-13, 15-2

3rd place

5) Alexis Iwaasa d. 6) Juliette Parent, 13-15, 15-8, 11-5

Semi-finals

1) Frédérique Lambert d. 5) Alexis Iwaasa, 15-2, 15-4
2) Christine Keay d. 6) Juliette Parent, 15-8, 15-13

Quarterfinals

1) Frédérique Lambert d. 9) Ofelia Wilscam, 15-1, 15-3
5) Alexis Iwaasa d. 4) Brigitte Richard, 5-15, 15-12, 11-2

6) Juliette Parent d. 3) Michèle Morissette, 15-10, 15-7
2) Christine Keay d. 7) Cassie Prentice, 11-15, 15-13, 11-5

Follow the bouncing ball….