1972 US Open – Men's singles

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.

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 →

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

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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

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Final eight

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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

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Section 1

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Section 5

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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

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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

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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

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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
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Preceded by Grand Slam men's singles Succeeded by