1972 US Open – Men's singles

January 2025 1972 US Open ROU Ilie Năstase USA Arthur Ashe 3–6, 6–3, 6–7(1–5), 6–4, 6–3 148 16 1972 US Open (tennis) 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. 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. USA Stan Smith (quarterfinalist) AUS Ken Rosewall (second round) AUS Rod Laver (fourth round) ROU 1965 Ilie Năstase (champion) AUS John Newcombe (third round) USA Arthur Ashe (finalist) NLD Tom Okker (third round) TCH Jan Kodeš (second round) USA Marty Riessen (third round) Spain 1945 Manuel Orantes (third round) RSA 1928 Cliff Drysdale (fourth round) USA Cliff Richey (semifinalist) USA Bob Lutz (fourth round) Spain 1945 Andrés Gimeno (fourth round) USA Jimmy Connors (first round) RSA 1928 Bob Hewitt (fourth round) Draw Key Q = Qualifier WC = Wild card LL = Lucky loser r = Retired Final eight 150 USA Arthur Ashe 6 ROU 1965 Ilie Năstase 4 6 3 3 6 75 61 4 6 3 6 USA Arthur Ashe 6 USA Cliff Richey 12 6 1 6 4 7 6 ROU 1965 Ilie Năstase 4 USA Tom Gorman   4 6 7 6 6 2 6 1 USA Stan Smith 1 USA Arthur Ashe 6 6 7 4 6 5 7 USA Cliff Richey 12 RSA 1928 Frew McMillan   3 6 6 1 6 4 6 2 AUS Fred Stolle   ROU 1965 Ilie Năstase 4 4 6 6 3 3 6 2 6 USA Roscoe Tanner   USA Tom Gorman   6 7 7 5 6 7 7 5 4 6 Top half Section 1 USA Smith 1 Spain 1945 Gimeno 14 2 6 7 6 6 4 1 6 6 3 USA Smith 1 AUS Stone 6 3 7 6 7 5 Spain 1945 Gimeno 14 AUS Ruffels 5 2 r USA Smith 1 USA Graebner 6 1 6 4 6 7 6 0 Spain 1945 Muñoz AUS Stone 1 6 0 6 7 6 0 6 Spain 1945 Gimeno 14 AUS Davidson 6 4 4 6 6 4 6 1 AUS Ruffels USA Brown 6 3 7 5 6 4 USA Smith 1 USA Martin 5 7 6 1 7 5 6 3 ITA Panatta USA Graebner 6 4 3 6 5 7 2 6 Spain 1945 Muñoz USA Holmberg 6 4 6 7 6 3 6 4 CHL Pinto-Bravo AUS Stone 4 6 4 6 7 6 4 6 Spain 1945 Gimeno 14 USSR Korotkov 6 4 7 5 6 4 USA Owens AUS Davidson 4 6 6 3 6 4 3 6 AUS Ruffels USA McNair 6 2 6 3 6 4 USA Delaney USA Brown 7 6 4 6 4 6 4 6 Section 2 USA Ashe 6 USA Lutz 13 5 7 7 5 6 4 6 3 USA Ashe 6 AUS Case 6 4 6 4 3 6 6 1 USA Lutz 13 USA Scott 7 6 6 2 6 2 USA Ashe 6 RSA 1928 Maud 6 4 6 4 7 6 AUS Alexander AUS Case 6 7 6 7 6 4 3 6 4 6 USA Lutz 13 ARG Vilas 6 3 6 3 7 5 USA Scott IND Amritraj 3 6 6 4 7 6 7 5 USA Ashe 6 PAK Rahim 6 3 6 3 4 6 7 6 RSA 1928 Maud JPN Kamiwazumi 6 2 6 7 6 2 6 4 AUS Alexander AUS Dent 4 6 7 6 6 4 4 6 6 4 AUS Case USA Schunck 6 3 6 2 6 4 USA Lutz 13 AUS Dibley 6 4 6 2 6 2 IND Menon ARG Vilas 6 7 4 6 4 6 USA Kreiss USA Scott 3 6 4 6 4 6 IND Amritraj RSA 1928 Schroder 7 6 6 3 6 4 Section 3 AUS Laver 3 USA Richey 12 6 3 6 7 6 7 3 6 AUS Laver 3 CHL Fillol, Sr. 6 2 4 6 6 7 6 1 7 6 USA Richey 12 USA Gerken 6 7 6 3 7 6 6 7 6 4 AUS Laver 3 USA Seewagen 6 3 6 2 7 5 NZL Fairlie CHL Fillol, Sr. 4 6 5 7 3 6 USA Richey 12 USA Olmedo 6 2 6 3 7 5 FRA Goven USA Gerken 4 6 1 6 7 6 7 5 5 7 AUS Laver 3 GBR Paish 6 2 6 1 6 3 GBR Warboys USA Seewagen 6 7 6 4 5 7 2 6 NZL Fairlie USA Austin 7 6 6 3 6 2 TCH Pala CHL Fillol, Sr. 4 6 1 6 2 6 USA Richey 12 USA Gottfried 6 2 7 6 6 2 USA Olmedo USA Guerry 6 3 7 6 6 7 7 6 USA Hagey FRA Goven r USA Gerken USA Walthall 7 6 6 1 6 2 Section 4 y 5 2 Preliminary round First round Second round Third round Fourth round   MEX Ramírez 4 6 6 6   USA Giammalva 6 2 3 3   IND Singh 6 7 6   USA Turner 3 6 3 9 USA Riessen 6 7 3 6   USA Teacher 3 5 6 3   AUS Masters 6 7 3 6   AUS Fletcher 3 5 6 3   RSA 1928 Moore 6 7 6   GBR Stilwell 3 6 2   AUS Anderson 6 6 7   USA Holmes 1 2 6   RSA 1928 McMillan 7 7 3 7   USA van Dillen 5 6 6 6   FRA Rouyer 6 6 7 6   GBR Matthews 7 3 6 1   USA Leonard 4 7 7 6   USA McMillan 6 6 6 3   USA Higgins 4 7 7 7   BRA Koch 6 6 5 6 8 TCH Kodeš 6 6 6   USA O'Bryant 2 4 3   USA Mayer 6 6 6   FRA Chanfreau 4 1 3   FRA Proisy 6 6 6   USA DuPré 1 4 2   MEX Ramírez 6 3 6 6   IND Singh 4 6 2 1 9 USA Riessen 6 6 6 6   AUS Masters 1 7 3 2   RSA 1928 Moore 4 5 7 6 1   AUS Anderson 6 7 6 2 6   RSA 1928 McMillan 7 7 7   FRA Rouyer 5 5 6   USA Leonard 6 3 6 6 7   USA Higgins 3 6 7 4 6 8 TCH Kodeš 7 6 6 3 1   USA Mayer 6 3 7 6 6   FRA Proisy 2 6 6 6 4   MEX Ramírez 6 2 1 7 6 9 USA Riessen 6 7 6 7   AUS Anderson 3 5 7 5   RSA 1928 McMillan 6 6 6   USA Leonard 2 3 4   USA Mayer 6 6 6   MEX Ramírez 3 3 1 9 USA Riessen 2 6 6 4   RSA 1928 McMillan 6 7 4 6 USA Mayer RSA 1928 McMillan 3 6 4 6 6 3 7 6 4 6 Bottom half Section 5 y 5 2 Preliminary round First round Second round Third round Fourth round   RSA 1928 Ryan 6 5 6 3   USA McKinley 3 7 7 6   AUS Addison 7 3 4 7 4   USA Pasarell 5 6 6 5 6   ITA Barazzutti 4 4 2   IND Amritraj 6 6 6   USA Neely 5 5 2   USA Gerulaitis 7 7 6   ZIM Irvine 6 3 1 6 3   USA Hardie 1 6 6 3 6   USA Krulevitz 7 5 4 3   FRA N'Godrella 6 7 6 6   SWE Bengtson 5 3 6 2   CAN Belkin 7 6 1 6   AUS Phillips-Moore 4 1 1 11 RSA 1928 Drysdale 6 6 6   SWE Borg 5 7 4 4   AUS Emerson 7 6 6 6   USA Fitzgibbon 6 4 2   AUS Stolle 7 6 6   USA McKinley 3 4 6   USA Pasarell 6 6 7   IND Amritraj 6 3 2 3   USA Gerulaitis 2 6 6 6   USA Hardie 2 6 3 4   FRA N'Godrella 6 4 6 6   CAN Belkin 5r 11 RSA 1928 Drysdale 5   AUS Emerson 7 4 2 2   AUS Stolle 6 6 6 6   USA Machette 1 7 6 6   TCH Holeček 6 6 4 4   USA Dibbs 6 6 6 7   USA Borowiak 2 7 3 6   URS Kakulia 1 2 4 5 AUS Newcombe 6 6 6   USA Pasarell 7 6 6   USA Gerulaitis 6 3 2   FRA N'Godrella 3 6 1 4 11 RSA 1928 Drysdale 6 4 6 6   AUS Stolle 6 6 6   USA Machette 3 4 3   USA Dibbs 3 4 3 5 AUS Newcombe 6 6 6   USA Pasarell 5 6 4 3 11 RSA 1928 Drysdale 7 4 6 6   AUS Stolle 7 6 6 5 AUS Newcombe 6 4 3 RSA 1928 Drysdale 11 AUS Stolle 6 4 6 7 4 6 6 7 Section 6 RSA 1928 Hewitt 16 ROU 1965 Năstase 4 4 6 4 6 2 6 CHL Cornejo RSA 1928 Hewitt 16 4 6 4 6 6 3 1 6 FRA Dominguez ROU 1965 Năstase 4 3 6 7 5 2 6 3 6 TCH Kukal CHL Cornejo 3 6 4 6 2 6 FRG Fassbender RSA 1928 Hewitt 16 5 7 3 6 4 6 FRA Dominguez USA Reid 5 7 6 4 7 5 6 4 GBR Taylor ROU 1965 Năstase 4 5 7 2 6 7 6 6 2 6 7 JAM Russell TCH Kukal 4 6 6 4 6 3 3 6 4 6 USA Dell CHL Cornejo 4 6 7 5 4 6 6 7 FRG Fassbender COL Molina 6 4 7 6 6 4 6 3 FRG Pohmann RSA 1928 Hewitt 16 4 6 2 6 2 6 FRA Dominguez USA Gonzales 4 6 6 3 6 2 6 3 USA Reid USA Osborne 6 4 6 2 6 4 GBR Taylor Rhodesia Pattison 3 6 7 6 6 3 3 6 6 3 COL Velasco Sr. ROU 1965 Năstase 4 0 6 2 6 0 6 Section 7 AUS Cooper USA Tanner 2 6 6 7 6 7 AUS Cooper Spain 1945 Orantes 10 7 6 6 4 6 4 USA Tanner NLD Okker 7 6 4 3 6 7 5 6 3 JPN Sakai AUS Cooper 3 6 3 6 2 6 NZL Parun Spain 1945 Orantes 10 1 6 6 2 6 3 5 7 4 6 AUS Carmichael USA Tanner 6 4 5 7 3 6 6 3 6 7 USA Solomon NLD Okker 7 1 6 2 6 2 6 JPN Sakai JPN Kuki 6 2 7 5 6 4 GBR Battrick AUS Cooper 3 6 1 6 0 6 NZL Parun USA Froehling 4 6 6 4 6 3 6 2 NZL Simpson Spain 1945 Orantes 10 5 7 2 6 2 6 AUS Carmichael AUS Doerner 6 4 6 4 7 6 USA Tanner EGY El Shafei 7 6 6 4 6 4 DNK Ulrich USA Solomon 7 6 5 7 1 6 6 7 RSA 1928 Cramer NLD Okker 7 2 6 3 6 4 6 Section 8 USA Gorman USA Stockton 6 4 6 3 6 3 YUG Pilić USA Gorman 4 6 4 6 4 6 USA Stockton GBR Cox 6 7 6 2 4 6 6 2 6 2 ROU 1965 Țiriac YUG Pilić 7 6 4 6 6 3 5 7 6 7 USA McManus USA Gorman 6 4 4 6 1 6 3 6 VEN Hose USA Stockton 2 6 3 6 6 3 6 7 GBR Cox AUS Rosewall 2 1 6 6 3 7 6 7 6 AUS Keldie ROU 1965 Țiriac 4 6 0 1 r ECU Zuleta YUG Pilić 1 6 3 6 5 7 USA McManus USA Birchmore 2 6 4 6 6 1 6 4 6 3 USA Gorman USA Connors 15 6 1 3 6 6 7 7 5 6 4 VEN Hose USA Faulk 7 5 4 6 7 6 7 6 USA Stockton USA Barth 6 4 6 2 6 4 GBR Cox TCH Granát 6 4 6 1 6 3 GBR Curtis AUS Rosewall 2 1 6 6 7 2 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 1972 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles Grand Slam men's singles 1973 Australian Open – Men's singles Men's singles Men's singles Category:US Open (tennis) by year – Men's singles