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

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.

Stan Smith (quarterfinalist)
Ken Rosewall (second round)
Rod Laver (fourth round)
Ilie Năstase (champion)
John Newcombe (third round)
Arthur Ashe (finalist)
Tom Okker (third round)
Jan Kodeš (second round)
Marty Riessen (third round)
Manuel Orantes (third round)
Cliff Drysdale (fourth round)
Cliff Richey (semifinalist)
Bob Lutz (fourth round)
Andrés Gimeno (fourth round)
Jimmy Connors (first round)
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	7⁵	4	3

													4	Ilie Năstase	3	6	6¹	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	5^r
	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