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, becoming the first Romanian to win a singles major.

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

Main article: 1972 US Open (tennis)

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

This marked the last major appearance of 12-time singles major champion Roy Emerson, who lost 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. 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	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	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

Preceded by 1972 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles

Grand Slam men's singles

Succeeded by 1973 Australian Open – Men's singles