McBride Makes an Inspired Charge : Tennis: Woodland Hills man rallies during speech about Ashe before losing in Ojai open singles final.

Desi McBride fell in the men’s open singles final of the 94th Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament on Sunday, but not before mounting a comeback triggered by a speech about Arthur Ashe.

McBride, 31, of Woodland Hills, was getting routed in the second set of his 6-4, 6-3 loss to Pat Crow of Long Beach. He was trailing, 4-0, when tennis Hall of Famer Jack Kramer stepped onto the next court to pay tribute to Ashe, whose memory the tournament had been dedicated.

Kramer, 72, standing with a microphone about 30 feet from McBride and Crow, turned toward the television cameras and a large crowd and said:

“I first want to apologize if I’m interrupting the match being played behind me. I hope the two guys can play their best game and may the best man win.”

And as Kramer launched into a lengthy speech, Crow--a brash 27-year-old returning from a failed attempt at the professional tour--was closing in on the victory.

Crow, big and powerful, wearing a blue bandanna over his crew-cut blond hair, had broken McBride’s first two services of the set with strong returns that forced errant approach shots.

But Kramer’s appearance gave McBride a new perspective.

“I started thinking about Ojai,” said McBride, “and I said to myself, ‘There’s too much history here. I can’t just roll over now.’ ”

McBride won two consecutive service games and broke Crow’s service in the sixth game to make it 4-3. But he missed three break opportunities in game eight that would have tied the set at four.

Instead, Crow battled back from love-40 to win and take a 5-3 advantage with a deep backhand shot that McBride couldn’t return.

Finally, Crow broke McBride’s service in the ninth game to win the match, looping a topspin lob over McBride as he charged the net on game point.

Crow and Kramer then shared thunderous applause, as they finished simultaneously.

As Crow left the court, he yanked off his shirt, accepted his championship trophy and a congratulatory handshake from Kramer, and then blamed Kramer for breaking his concentration.

“He just went on and on about Arthur Ashe,” said Crow of Kramer’s speech. “I mean, who cares?”

In the women’s open doubles final, Julie Tullberg and Jamie Pisarcik of Ojai lost to Tracie Johnstone of Carpinteria and Colleen Patton of Santa Barbara, 6-2, 6-1.

Four local players won singles titles at the 59th Southern California Senior Sectional Tournament at The Racquet Centre in Studio City.

Gordon Davis of Encino defeated Robert Erickson of Anaheim, 6-1, 6-4, in the men’s 55 division.

Jack Simpson of Van Nuys defeated Sven Davidson of Arcadia in men’s 65. Simpson won the first set, 6-3, and Davidson retired after trailing, 1-0, in the second game of the second set.

Robert Piken of Studio City defeated John Jeffries of San Diego, 6-2, 6-1, in newly created men’s 25. Eleanor Harbula of Sylmar defeated Carolyn Turney of Bakersfield, 6-0, 6-2, in women’s 70s.