1972 US Open – Men's singles

Men's singles
1972 US Open
Final
ChampionRomania Ilie Năstase
Runner-upUnited States Arthur Ashe
Score3–6, 6–3, 6–7(1–5), 6–4, 6–3
Details
Draw148
Seeds16
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.

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

Draw

Key

Final eight

Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
                     
1 United States Stan Smith 6 4 5
6 United States Arthur Ashe 7 6 7
6 United States Arthur Ashe 6 6 7
12 United States Cliff Richey 1 4 6
12 United States Cliff Richey 3 6 6 6
  South Africa Frew McMillan 6 1 4 2
6 United States Arthur Ashe 6 3 75 4 3
4 Romania Ilie Năstase 3 6 61 6 6
  Australia Fred Stolle 4 6 3 2
4 Romania Ilie Năstase 6 3 6 6
4 Romania Ilie Năstase 4 7 6 6
  United States Tom Gorman 6 6 2 1
  United States Roscoe Tanner 6 7 6 7 4
  United States Tom Gorman 7 5 7 5 6

Top half

Section 1

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

Section 2

First round Second round Third round Fourth round
6 United States Ashe 6 6 4 7
Pakistan Rahim 3 3 6 6 6 United States Ashe 6 6 7
South Africa Maud 6 6 6 6 South Africa Maud 4 4 6
Japan Kamiwazumi 2 7 2 4 6 United States Ashe 6 6 3 6
Australia Alexander 4 7 6 4 6 Australia Case 4 4 6 1
Australia Dent 6 6 4 6 4 Australia Alexander 6 6 6 3 4
Australia Case 6 6 6 Australia Case 7 7 4 6 6
United States Schunck 3 2 4 6 United States Ashe 5 7 6 6
13 United States Lutz 6 6 6 13 United States Lutz 7 5 4 3
Australia Dibley 4 2 2 13 United States Lutz 6 6 7
India Menon 6 4 4 Argentina Vilas 3 3 5
Argentina Vilas 7 6 6 13 United States Lutz 7 6 6
United States Kreiss 3 4 4 United States Scott 6 2 2
United States Scott 6 6 6 United States Scott 3 6 7 7
India Amritraj 7 6 6 India Amritraj 6 4 6 5
South Africa Schroder 6 3 4

Section 3

First round Second round Third round Fourth round
3 Australia Laver 6 6 6
United Kingdom Paish 2 1 3 3 Australia Laver 6 6 7
United Kingdom Warboys 6 6 5 2 United States Seewagen 3 2 5
United States Seewagen 7 4 7 6 3 Australia Laver 6 4 6 6 7
New Zealand Fairlie 7 6 6 Chile Fillol, Sr. 2 6 7 1 6
United States Austin 6 3 2 New Zealand Fairlie 4 5 3
Czechoslovakia Pala 4 1 2 Chile Fillol, Sr. 6 7 6
Chile Fillol, Sr. 6 6 6 3 Australia Laver 6 6 6 3
12 United States Richey 6 7 6 12 United States Richey 3 7 7 6
United States Gottfried 2 6 2 12 United States Richey 6 6 7
United States Olmedo 6 7 6 7 United States Olmedo 2 3 5
United States Guerry 3 6 7 6 12 United States Richey 6 6 7 6 6
United States Hagey r United States Gerken 7 3 6 7 4
France Goven France Goven 4 1 7 7 5
United States Gerken 7 6 6 United States Gerken 6 6 6 5 7
United States Walthall 6 1 2

Section 4

Preliminary round First round Second round Third round Fourth round
8 Czechoslovakia Kodeš 6 6 6
  United States O'Bryant 2 4 3
8 Czechoslovakia Kodeš 7 6 6 3 1
  United States Mayer 6 3 7 6 6
  United States Mayer 6 6 6
  France Chanfreau 4 1 3
  United States Mayer 6 6 6
  Mexico Ramírez 3 3 1
  France Proisy 6 6 6
  United States DuPré 1 4 2
  France Proisy 2 6 6 6 4
  Mexico Ramírez 4 6 6 6   Mexico Ramírez 6 2 1 7 6
  United States Giammalva 6 2 3 3   Mexico Ramírez 6 3 6 6
  India Singh 6 7 6   India Singh 4 6 2 1
  United States Turner 3 6 3 United States Mayer 3 4 6 7 4
9 United States Riessen 6 7 3 6 South Africa McMillan 6 6 3 6 6
  United States Teacher 3 5 6 3 9 United States Riessen 6 6 6 6
  Australia Masters 6 7 3 6   Australia Masters 1 7 3 2
  Australia Fletcher 3 5 6 3 9 United States Riessen 6 7 6 7
  South Africa Moore 6 7 6   Australia Anderson 3 5 7 5
  United Kingdom Stilwell 3 6 2   South Africa Moore 4 5 7 6 1
  Australia Anderson 6 6 7   Australia Anderson 6 7 6 2 6
  United States Holmes 1 2 6 9 United States Riessen 2 6 6 4
  South Africa McMillan 7 7 3 7   South Africa McMillan 6 7 4 6
  United States van Dillen 5 6 6 6   South Africa McMillan 7 7 7
  France Rouyer 6 6 7 6   France Rouyer 5 5 6
  United Kingdom Matthews 7 3 6 1   South Africa McMillan 6 6 6
  United States Leonard 4 7 7 6   United States Leonard 2 3 4
  United States McMillan 6 6 6 3   United States Leonard 6 3 6 6 7
  United States Higgins 4 7 7 7   United States Higgins 3 6 7 4 6
  Brazil Koch 6 6 5 6

Bottom half

Section 5

Preliminary round First round Second round Third round Fourth round
  South Africa Ryan 6 5 6 3
  United States McKinley 3 7 7 6   United States McKinley 3 4 6
  Australia Addison 7 3 4 7 4   United States Pasarell 6 6 7
  United States Pasarell 5 6 6 5 6   United States Pasarell 7 6 6
  Italy Barazzutti 4 4 2   United States Gerulaitis 6 3 2
  India Amritraj 6 6 6   India Amritraj 6 3 2 3
  United States Neely 5 5 2   United States Gerulaitis 2 6 6 6
  United States Gerulaitis 7 7 6   United States Pasarell 5 6 4 3
  Zimbabwe Irvine 6 3 1 6 3 11 South Africa Drysdale 7 4 6 6
  United States Hardie 1 6 6 3 6   United States Hardie 2 6 3 4
  United States Krulevitz 7 5 4 3   France N'Godrella 6 4 6 6
  France N'Godrella 6 7 6 6   France N'Godrella 3 6 1 4
  Sweden Bengtson 5 3 6 2 11 South Africa Drysdale 6 4 6 6
  Canada Belkin 7 6 1 6   Canada Belkin 5r
  Australia Phillips-Moore 4 1 1 11 South Africa Drysdale 5
11 South Africa Drysdale 6 6 6 11 South Africa Drysdale 6 6 4 6
  Sweden Borg 5 7 4 4 Australia Stolle 4 7 6 7
  Australia Emerson 7 6 6 6   Australia Emerson 7 4 2 2
  United States Fitzgibbon 6 4 2   Australia Stolle 6 6 6 6
  Australia Stolle 7 6 6   Australia Stolle 6 6 6
  United States Machette 3 4 3
  United States Machette 1 7 6 6
  Czechoslovakia Holeček 6 6 4 4
  Australia Stolle 7 6 6
5 Australia Newcombe 6 4 3
  United States Dibbs 6 6 6 7
  United States Borowiak 2 7 3 6
  United States Dibbs 3 4 3
5 Australia Newcombe 6 6 6
  Soviet Union Kakulia 1 2 4
5 Australia Newcombe 6 6 6

Section 6

First round Second round Third round Fourth round
Jamaica Russell 4 6 6 3 4
Czechoslovakia Kukal 6 4 3 6 6 Czechoslovakia Kukal 3 4 2
United States Dell 4 7 4 6 Chile Cornejo 6 6 6
Chile Cornejo 6 5 6 7 Chile Cornejo 4 4 6 1
West Germany Fassbender 6 7 6 6 16 South Africa Hewitt 6 6 3 6
Colombia Molina 4 6 4 3 West Germany Fassbender 5 3 4
West Germany Pohmann 4 2 2 16 South Africa Hewitt 7 6 6
16 South Africa Hewitt 6 6 6 16 South Africa Hewitt 4 4 2
France Dominguez 4 6 6 6 4 Romania Năstase 6 6 6
United States Gonzales 6 3 2 3 France Dominguez 5 6 7 6
United States Reid 6 6 6 United States Reid 7 4 5 4
United States Osborne 4 2 4 France Dominguez 3 7 2 3
United Kingdom Taylor 3 7 6 3 6 4 Romania Năstase 6 5 6 6
Rhodesia Pattison 6 6 3 6 3 United Kingdom Taylor 5 2 7 6 6
Colombia Velasco Sr. 0 2 0 4 Romania Năstase 7 6 6 2 7
4 Romania Năstase 6 6 6

Section 7

First round Second round Third round Fourth round
Japan Sakai 6 7 6
Japan Kuki 2 5 4 Japan Sakai 3 3 2
United Kingdom Battrick 3 1 0 Australia Cooper 6 6 6
Australia Cooper 6 6 6 Australia Cooper 7 6 6
New Zealand Parun 4 6 6 6 10 Spain Orantes 6 4 4
United States Froehling 6 4 3 2 New Zealand Parun 1 6 6 5 4
New Zealand Simpson 5 2 2 10 Spain Orantes 6 2 3 7 6
10 Spain Orantes 7 6 6 Australia Cooper 2 6 6
Australia Carmichael 6 6 7 United States Tanner 6 7 7
Australia Doerner 4 4 6 Australia Carmichael 6 5 3 6 6
United States Tanner 7 6 6 United States Tanner 4 7 6 3 7
Egypt El Shafei 6 4 4 United States Tanner 6 3 7 6
Denmark Ulrich 7 5 1 6 7 Netherlands Okker 4 6 5 3
United States Solomon 6 7 6 7 United States Solomon 1 2 2
South Africa Cramer 2 3 4 7 Netherlands Okker 6 6 6
7 Netherlands Okker 6 6 6

Section 8

First round Second round Third round Fourth round
Australia Keldie 4 0 r
Romania Țiriac 6 1 Romania Țiriac 7 4 6 5 6
Ecuador Zuleta 1 3 5 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Pilić 6 6 3 7 7
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Pilić 6 6 7 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Pilić 4 4 4
United States McManus 2 4 6 6 6 United States Gorman 6 6 6
United States Birchmore 6 6 1 4 3 United States McManus 6 4 1 3
United States Gorman 6 3 6 7 6 United States Gorman 4 6 6 6
15 United States Connors 1 6 7 5 4 United States Gorman 6 6 6
Venezuela Hose 7 4 7 7 United States Stockton 4 3 3
United States Faulk 5 6 6 6 Venezuela Hose 2 3 6 6
United States Stockton 6 6 6 United States Stockton 6 6 3 7
United States Barth 4 2 4 United States Stockton 6 6 4 6 6
United Kingdom Cox 6 6 6 United Kingdom Cox 7 2 6 2 2
Czechoslovakia Granát 4 1 3 United Kingdom Cox 1 6 7 7
United Kingdom Curtis 1 6 2 2 Australia Rosewall 6 3 6 6
2 Australia Rosewall 6 7 6
Preceded by Grand Slam men's singles Succeeded by