1972 US Open – Men's singles

Men's singles
1972 US Open
Final
Champion	Ilie Năstase
Runner-up	Arthur Ashe
Score	3–6, 6–3, 6–7(1–5), 6–4, 6–3
Details
Draw	148
Seeds	16
Events
Singles men women boys girls Doubles men women mixed boys girls WC Singles men women quad WC Doubles men women quad Legends men women mixed
← 1971 · US Open · 1973 →

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. It was his first major singles title.

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

12-time singles Grand Slam tournament 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.

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

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 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

	Preliminary round									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	3	7	6	6
											Mayer	6	6	6
											Chanfreau	4	1	3
																													Mayer	6	6	6
																													Ramírez	3	3	1
											Proisy	6	6	6
											DuPré	1	4	2
																				Proisy	2	6	6	6	4
		Ramírez	4	6	6	6														Ramírez	6	2	1	7	6
		Giammalva	6	2	3	3					Ramírez	6	3	6	6
		Singh	6	7	6						Singh	4	6	2	1
		Turner	3	6	3																																Mayer		3	4	6	7	4
	9	Riessen	6	7	3	6																															McMillan		6	6	3	6	6
		Teacher	3	5	6	3				9	Riessen	6	6	6	6
		Masters	6	7	3	6					Masters	1	7	3	2
		Fletcher	3	5	6	3													9	Riessen	6	7	6	7
		Moore	6	7	6															Anderson	3	5	7	5
		Stilwell	3	6	2						Moore	4	5	7	6	1
		Anderson	6	6	7						Anderson	6	7	6	2	6
		Holmes	1	2	6																							9	Riessen	2	6	6	4
		McMillan	7	7	3	7																							McMillan	6	7	4	6
		van Dillen	5	6	6	6					McMillan	7	7	7
		Rouyer	6	6	7	6					Rouyer	5	5	6
		Matthews	7	3	6	1														McMillan	6	6	6
		Leonard	4	7	7	6														Leonard	2	3	4
		McMillan	6	6	6	3					Leonard	6	3	6	6	7
		Higgins	4	7	7	7					Higgins	3	6	7	4	6
		Koch	6	6	5	6

Bottom half

Section 5

	Preliminary round									First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		Ryan	6	5	6	3
		McKinley	3	7	7	6					McKinley	3	4	6
		Addison	7	3	4	7	4				Pasarell	6	6	7
		Pasarell	5	6	6	5	6													Pasarell	7	6	6
		Barazzutti	4	4	2															Gerulaitis	6	3	2
		Amritraj	6	6	6						Amritraj	6	3	2	3
		Neely	5	5	2						Gerulaitis	2	6	6	6
		Gerulaitis	7	7	6																								Pasarell	5	6	4	3
		Irvine	6	3	1	6	3																					11	Drysdale	7	4	6	6
		Hardie	1	6	6	3	6				Hardie	2	6	3	4
		Krulevitz	7	5	4	3					N'Godrella	6	4	6	6
		N'Godrella	6	7	6	6														N'Godrella	3	6	1	4
		Bengtson	5	3	6	2													11	Drysdale	6	4	6	6
		Belkin	7	6	1	6					Belkin	5r
		Phillips-Moore	4	1	1					11	Drysdale	5
	11	Drysdale	6	6	6																																11	Drysdale	6	6	4	6
		Borg	5	7	4	4																																Stolle	4	7	6	7
		Emerson	7	6	6	6					Emerson	7	4	2	2
		Fitzgibbon	6	4	2						Stolle	6	6	6	6
		Stolle	7	6	6															Stolle	6	6	6
																				Machette	3	4	3
											Machette	1	7	6	6
											Holeček	6	6	4	4
																													Stolle	7	6	6
																												5	Newcombe	6	4	3
											Dibbs	6	6	6	7
											Borowiak	2	7	3	6
																				Dibbs	3	4	3
																			5	Newcombe	6	6	6
											Kakulia	1	2	4
										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
		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