1972 US Open – Men's singles

Men's singles
1972 US Open
Champion	Ilie Năstase
Runner-up	Arthur Ashe
Score	3–6, 6–3, 6–7(1–5), 6–4, 6–3
Draw	148
Seeds	16

Ilie Năstase defeated Arthur Ashe 3–6, 6–3, 6–7^(1–5), 6–4, 6–3 in the final 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 Arthur Ashe.

12-time major champion Roy Emerson made his last appearance at a Grand Slam tournament, losing in the 1st round to compatriot 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									Final
	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

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 3

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	3	Laver	6	6	6
		Paish	2	1	3					3	Laver	6	6	7
		Warboys	6	6	5	2					Seewagen	3	2	5
		Seewagen	7	4	7	6													3	Laver	6	4	6	6	7
		Fairlie	7	6	6															Fillol, Sr.	2	6	7	1	6
		Austin	6	3	2						Fairlie	4	5	3
		Pala	4	1	2						Fillol, Sr.	6	7	6
		Fillol, Sr.	6	6	6																							3	Laver	6	6	6	3
	12	Richey	6	7	6																							12	Richey	3	7	7	6
		Gottfried	2	6	2					12	Richey	6	6	7
		Olmedo	6	7	6	7					Olmedo	2	3	5
		Guerry	3	6	7	6													12	Richey	6	6	7	6	6
		Hagey	r																	Gerken	7	3	6	7	4
		Goven									Goven	4	1	7	7	5
		Gerken	7	6	6						Gerken	6	6	6	5	7
		Walthall	6	1	2

Section 4

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	8	Kodeš	6	6	6
		O'Bryant	2	4	3					8	Kodeš	7	6	6	3	1
		Mayer	6	6	6						Mayer	6	3	7	6	6
		Chanfreau	4	1	3															Mayer	6	6	6
		Proisy	6	6	6															Ramírez	3	3	1
		DuPré	1	4	2						Proisy	2	6	6	6	4
		Ramírez	6	3	6	6					Ramírez	6	2	1	7	6
		Singh	4	6	2	1																							Mayer	3	4	6	7	4
	9	Riessen	6	6	6	6																							McMillan	6	6	3	6	6
		Masters	1	7	3	2				9	Riessen	6	7	6	7
		Moore	4	5	7	1					Anderson	3	5	7	5
		Anderson	6	7	6	6													9	Riessen	2	6	6	4
		McMillan	7	7	7															McMillan	6	7	4	6
		Rouyer	5	5	6						McMillan	6	6	6
		Leonard	6	3	6	6	7				Leonard	2	3	4
		Higgins	3	6	7	4	6

Section 5

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		McKinley	3	4	6
		Pasarell	6	6	7						Pasarell	7	6	6
		Amritraj	6	3	2	3					Gerulaitis	6	3	2
		Gerulaitis	2	6	6	6														Pasarell	5	6	4	3
		Hardie	2	6	3	4													11	Drysdale	7	4	6	6
		N'Godrella	6	4	6	6					N'Godrella	3	6	1	4
		Belkin	5	r						11	Drysdale	6	4	6	6
	11	Drysdale	5																									11	Drysdale	6	6	4	6
		Emerson	7	4	2	2																							Stolle	4	7	6	7
		Stolle	6	6	6	6					Stolle	6	6	6
		Machette	1	7	6	6					Machette	3	4	3
		Holeček	6	6	4	4														Stolle	7	6	5	7
		Dibbs	6	6	6	7													5	Newcombe	6	4	7	6
		Borowiak	2	7	3	6					Dibbs	3	4	3
		Kakoulia	1	2	4					5	Newcombe	6	6	6
	5	Newcombe	6	6	6

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
		Ţiriac	6	1							Ţiriac	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

Preliminary round

Player 1	Score	Player 2
Raúl Ramírez	4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–3	Sam Giammalva
Jasjit Singh	6–3, 7–6, 6–3	Steven Turner
Marty Riessen (9)	6–3, 7–5, 3–6, 6–3	Brian Teacher
Geoff Masters	6–3, 7–5, 3–6, 6–3	Ian Fletcher
Ray Moore	6–3, 7–6, 6–2	Graham Stilwell
Mal Anderson	6–1, 6–2, 7–6	Norman Holmes
Frew McMillan	7–5, 7–6, 3–6, 7–6	Erik van Dillen
Jean-Loup Rouyer	6–7, 6–3, 7–6, 6–1	Stanley Matthews
Tom Leonard	4–6, 7–6, 7–6, 6–3	Kenneth McMillan
William Higgins	4–6, 7–6, 7–5, 7–6	Thomaz Koch
Terry Ryan	6–3, 5–7, 6–7, 3–6	Robert McKinley
Terry Addison	7–5, 3–6, 4–6, 7–5, 4–6	Charlie Pasarell
Corrado Barazzutti	4–6, 4–6, 2–6	Vijay Amritraj
Armistead Neely	5–7, 5–7, 2–6	Vitas Gerulaitis
Hank Irvine	6–1, 3–6, 1–6, 6–3, 3–6	George Hardie
Steve Krulevitz	7–6, 5–7, 4–6, 3–6	Wanaro N'Godrella
Ove Bengtson	5–7, 3–6, 6–1, 2–6	Michael Belkin
Barry Phillips-Moore	4–6, 1–6, 1–6	Cliff Drysdale (11)
Björn Borg	5–7, 7–6, 4–6, 4–6	Roy Emerson
Herb Fitzgibbon	6–7, 4–6, 2–6	Fred Stolle

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