1972 US Open – Men's singles

Men's singles
1972 US Open
Champion	Ilie Năstase
Runner-up	Arthur Ashe
Final score	3–6, 6–3, 6–7(1–5), 6–4, 6–3

Main article: 1972 US Open (tennis)

Ilie Năstase defeated Arthur Ashe in the final, 3–6, 6–3, 6–7^(1–5), 6–4, 6–3 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1972 US Open.

Stan Smith was the defending champion, but lost in the quarterfinals to Ashe.

12-time singles major champion Roy Emerson made his last major appearance, losing in the first round to Fred Stolle.

Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Ilie Năstase is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.

1. Stan Smith (quarterfinalist)
2. Ken Rosewall (second round)
3. Rod Laver (fourth round)
4. Ilie Năstase (champion)
5. John Newcombe (third round)
6. Arthur Ashe (finalist)
7. Tom Okker (third round)
8. Jan Kodeš (second round)
9. Marty Riessen (third round)
10. Manuel Orantes (third round)
11. Cliff Drysdale (fourth round)
12. Cliff Richey (semifinalist)
13. Bob Lutz (fourth round)
14. Andrés Gimeno (fourth round)
15. Jimmy Connors (first round)
16. Bob Hewitt (fourth round)

Draw

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild card
• LL = Lucky loser
• r = Retired

Final eight

	Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Finals
	1	Stan Smith	6	4	5
	6	Arthur Ashe	7	6	7
										6	Arthur Ashe	6	6	7
										12	Cliff Richey	1	4	6
	12	Cliff Richey	3	6	6	6
		Frew McMillan	6	1	4	2
																			6	Arthur Ashe	6	3	7	4	3
																			4	Ilie Năstase	3	6	6	6	6
		Fred Stolle	4	6	3	2
	4	Ilie Năstase	6	3	6	6
										4	Ilie Năstase	4	7	6	6
											Tom Gorman	6	6	2	1
		Roscoe Tanner	6	7	6	7	4
		Tom Gorman	7	5	7	5	6

Top half

Section 1

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	1	Smith	5	6	7	6
		Martin	7	1	5	3				1	Smith	6	6	6	6
		Panatta	6	3	5	2					Graebner	1	4	7	0
		Graebner	4	6	7	6													1	Smith	6	7	7
		Muñoz	6	6	6	6														Stone	3	6	5
		Holmberg	4	7	3	4					Muñoz	1	0	7	0
		Pinto-Bravo	4	4	7	4					Stone	6	6	6	6
		Stone	6	6	6	6																						1	Smith	2	7	6	1	6
	14	Gimeno	6	7	6																							14	Gimeno	6	6	4	6	3
		Korotkov	4	5	4					14	Gimeno	6	4	6	6
		Owens	4	6	6	3					Davidson	4	6	4	1
		Davidson	6	3	4	6													14	Gimeno	5
		Ruffels	6	6	6															Ruffels	2	r
		McNair	2	3	4						Ruffels	6	7	6
		Delaney	7	4	4	4					Brown	3	5	4
		Brown	6	6	6	6

Section 2

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	6	Ashe	6	6	4	7
		Rahim	3	3	6	6				6	Ashe	6	6	7
		Maud	6	6	6	6					Maud	4	4	6
		Kamiwazumi	2	7	2	4													6	Ashe	6	6	3	6
		Alexander	4	7	6	4	6													Case	4	4	6	1
		Dent	6	6	4	6	4				Alexander	6	6	6	3	4
		Case	6	6	6						Case	7	7	4	6	6
		Schunck	3	2	4																							6	Ashe	5	7	6	6
	13	Lutz	6	6	6																							13	Lutz	7	5	4	3
		Dibley	4	2	2					13	Lutz	6	6	7
		Menon	6	4	4						Vilas	3	3	5
		Vilas	7	6	6														13	Lutz	7	6	6
		Kreiss	3	4	4															Scott	6	2	2
		Scott	6	6	6						Scott	3	6	7	7
		Amritraj	7	6	6						Amritraj	6	4	6	5
		Schroder	6	3	4

Section 4

Preliminary round

First round

Second round

Third round

Fourth round

1

32

17

16

9

24

25

8

5

Ramírez

Giammalva

Singh

Turner

Mayer

McMillan

9

Riessen

Teacher

Masters

Masters

Fletcher

Moore

Stilwell

Moore

Anderson

Anderson

Holmes

McMillan

van Dillen

McMillan

Rouyer

Rouyer

Matthews

Leonard

McMillan

Leonard

Higgins

Higgins

Koch

Bottom half

Section 5

Preliminary round

First round

Second round

Third round

Fourth round

1

32

17

16

9

24

25

8

5

Hardie

Krulevitz

N'Godrella

Bengtson

Belkin

Phillips-Moore

11

Drysdale

11

Drysdale

Stolle

Borg

Emerson

Stolle

Fitzgibbon

Stolle

Machette

Holeček

Dibbs

Borowiak

Kakulia

5

Newcombe

Section 6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		Russell	4	6	6	3	4
		Kukal	6	4	3	6	6				Kukal	3	4	2
		Dell	4	7	4	6					Cornejo	6	6	6
		Cornejo	6	5	6	7														Cornejo	4	4	6	1
		Fassbender	6	7	6	6													16	Hewitt	6	6	3	6
		Molina	4	6	4	3					Fassbender	5	3	4
		Pohmann	4	2	2					16	Hewitt	7	6	6
	16	Hewitt	6	6	6																							16	Hewitt	4	4	2
		Dominguez	4	6	6	6																						4	Năstase	6	6	6
		Gonzales	6	3	2	3					Dominguez	5	6	7	6
		Reid	6	6	6						Reid	7	4	5	4
		Osborne	4	2	4															Dominguez	3	7	2	3
		Taylor	3	7	6	3	6												4	Năstase	6	5	6	6
		Pattison	6	6	3	6	3				Taylor	5	2	7	6	6
		Velasco Sr.	0	2	0					4	Năstase	7	6	6	2	7
	4	Năstase	6	6	6

Section 7

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		Sakai	6	7	6
		Kuki	2	5	4						Sakai	3	3	2
		Battrick	3	1	0						Cooper	6	6	6
		Cooper	6	6	6															Cooper	7	6	6
		Parun	4	6	6	6													10	Orantes	6	4	4
		Froehling	6	4	3	2					Parun	1	6	6	5	4
		Simpson	5	2	2					10	Orantes	6	2	3	7	6
	10	Orantes	7	6	6																								Cooper	2	6	6
		Carmichael	6	6	7																								Tanner	6	7	7
		Doerner	4	4	6						Carmichael	6	5	3	6	6
		Tanner	7	6	6						Tanner	4	7	6	3	7
		El Shafei	6	4	4															Tanner	6	3	7	6
		Ulrich	7	5	1	6													7	Okker	4	6	5	3
		Solomon	6	7	6	7					Solomon	1	2	2
		Cramer	2	3	4					7	Okker	6	6	6
	7	Okker	6	6	6

Section 8

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		Keldie	4	0	r
		Țiriac	6	1							Țiriac	7	4	6	5	6
		Zuleta	1	3	5						Pilić	6	6	3	7	7
		Pilić	6	6	7															Pilić	4	4	4
		McManus	2	4	6	6	6													Gorman	6	6	6
		Birchmore	6	6	1	4	3				McManus	6	4	1	3
		Gorman	6	3	6	7	6				Gorman	4	6	6	6
	15	Connors	1	6	7	5	4																						Gorman	6	6	6
		Hose	7	4	7	7																							Stockton	4	3	3
		Faulk	5	6	6	6					Hose	2	3	6	6
		Stockton	6	6	6						Stockton	6	6	3	7
		Barth	4	2	4															Stockton	6	6	4	6	6
		Cox	6	6	6															Cox	7	2	6	2	2
		Granát	4	1	3						Cox	1	6	7	7
		Curtis	1	6	2					2	Rosewall	6	3	6	6
	2	Rosewall	6	7	6

External links

• Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) – 1972 US Open Men's Singles draw
• 1972 US Open – Men's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation