Thompson-raised Jennifer Saunders took another step towards competing in the 2013 Pan-American racquetball championships Nov. 25 when she beat Christine Richardson of Regina to win the women's open division at the Racquetball Canada National Team Selection Event in Kelowna, B.C.
Saunders, who now lives in Winnipeg, defeated Richardson 16-14, 15-12 at Kelowna's Globe Fitness and Racquet Centre, scoring nine straight points in the opening set to come back from a 14-7 deficit for the win. In the second set, Saunders opened up an 11-0 lead but got only three of the next 15 points to lead just 14-12 before finishing Richardson off.
Seeded first in the women's open tournament, a straight round-robin affair, Saunders opened with a 15-5, 15-10 win over Valerie Fallu of Brossard, Que. on Nov. 23, then won both her matches the following day, defeating Nadia Verilli of Brossard, Que. 15-10, 15-4 and Michèle Morissette of Baie Comeau, Que. by a score of 15-1, 15-3 to set up the showdown with the second-seeded Richardson, who was undefeated until the final match.
The results from this tournament will be combined with those from the second national team selection event in Brossard in February 2013 and the 2012 Canadian National Championships, played last May, also in Brossard, to determine which players will represent Canada at the 2013 Pan American Championships next Easter.
Saunders is the current Canadian women's racquetball champion in both the women's singles and doubles categories. She has won six national singles championships and eight national doubles championships. She was named Manitoba's 2009 female athlete of the year.
