Biography

Date of Birth

1993

Birthplace

Baie-Comeau, Québec

Residence

Saint-Hubert, Québec

Home Club

Sani Sport, Brossard

Coach

Rino Langelier

Equipment

Gearbox

Sam Murray made his international debut as an elite national team member at the 2014 IRF World Championships. Since then he has represented Canada internationally fourteen times. Murray medaled for his first time at the 2016 World Championships, winning bronze in men’s singles. Most recently at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games, Murray won silver in both Men’s Doubles and the Men’s Team Event. At the 2022 World Championships, Murray medaled three times, winning silver in Mixed Doubles and also in the Men’s Team Event, as well as bronze in Men’s Doubles. In total he has won 8 medals at the international level including 1 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze. Murray rose quickly in rankings at the national elite level and on the International Pro-Tour (IRT). In 2018, Murray advanced to his first pro-tour final after just playing on the tour on a regular basis for two years. In January 2021, Murray won his first Grand Slam event and is has been ranked as high as 5th place in singles and 5th in doubles and won his second pro-tour event in Januaury 2024. Murray has been on the podium sixteen times at the elite national level and holds six Canadian Men’s Open Doubles titles and five Open Singles titles. In 2019 he won both the Men’s Open Singles title and an historic Men’s Open Doubles title with his brother Tommy Murray. It is the first time in the history of the sport in Canada that two brothers have won a title together. The two repeated their gold medal win in 2021 and 2022.

Q&A

Start in Racquetball:  I started to play when I was eight years old, with my brother. My parents had been playing for many years and always brought us along to the club in Baie-Comeau. 

Reason for playing: I play racquetball because I love the sport. I like to push myself and I like playing with my brother and training with my coach. I love the competition that racquetball offers me.

Training habits:A normal week of training during racquetball season is practicing racquetball with my coach, playing racquetball with my brother, and working out at the gym.

Best Racquetball moment or memory: My best moment since leaving the junior level and becoming an elite athlete is winning the 2019 Canadian Championship Open Doubles title with my brother. My first final on the professional circuit is also a defining moment in my career. My victory in the Atlanta 2019 professional tour tournament.

Non – Racquetball Talents: Pickleball and Squash.

When you are not playing Racquetball you are probably:Watching TV, playing other sports, or spending time with my brother.

What is something that people might not know about you or find surprising?  Nothing.

Advise for athletes who want to play at your level:I would tell them to never quit, to train hard and that the hard work always pays off.

Who has been important in your developed as a racquetball athlete? The most important factor in my development was moving to Brossard with my brother for our studies and for racquetball. Since we arrived in Brossard, my trainer Rino Langelier has followed my development much more closely. Rino and my brother have been the key to my development as a racquetball player.

Highlights

Silver
Santiago 2023 Pan American Games
Men's Doubles
Silver
Santiago 2023 Pan American Games
Men's Team Event
Silver
2022 World Championships
Mixed Doubles
Silver
2022 World Championships
Men's Team Event
Bronze
2022 World Championships
Men's Doubles
Bronze
2018 World Championships
Men's Doubles
Bronze
2016 World Championships
Men's Singles
Gold
2022 Pan Am Championships
Men's Doubles
Silver
2019 Pan Am Championships
Men's Doubles
Bronze
2018 Pan Am Championships
Men's Doubles
Gold
2023 National Championships
Men's Open Singles
Silver
2023 National Championships
Men's Open Doubles
Gold
2022 National Championships
Men's Open Singles
Gold
2022 National Championships
Men's Open Doubles
Gold
2021 National Championships
Men's Open Singles
Gold
2021 National Championships
Men's Open Doubles
Gold
2019 National Championships
Men's Open Singles
Gold
2019 National Championships
Men's Open Doubles
Gold
2018 National Championships
Men's Open Singles
Gold
2018 National Championships
Men's Open Doubles
Silver
2017 National Championships
Men's Open Singles
Bronze
2017 National Championships
Men's Open Doubles
Gold
2016 National Championships
Men's Open Doubles
Silver
2015 National Championships
Men's Open Singles
Bronze
2015 National Championships
Men's Open Doubles
Bronze
2014 National Championships
Men's Open Singles
Gold
2014 National Championships
Men's Open Doubles
Bronze
2013 National Championships
Men's Open Doubles