# 1973 Holton Tennis Classic – Singles

The 1973 Holton Tennis Classic – Singles was an event of the 1973 Holton Tennis Classic men's tennis tournament that was played at the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri in the United States from March 26 through April 1, 1973. The draw comprised 36 players and 12 of them were seeded. John Newcombe was the defending champion but did not compete in this edition. Second-seeded Stan Smith won the singles title, defeating first-seeded Rod Laver in the final, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 and earned $10,000 first-prize money.

## Seeds

* Rod Laver (final)
* Stan Smith (champion)
* Roy Emerson (first round)
* Bob Lutz (quarterfinals)
* Dick Stockton (first round)
* Colin Dibley (first round)
* John Alexander (quarterfinals)
* Cliff Richey (quarterfinals)
* Nikola Pilić (semifinals)
* Phil Dent (second round)
* Jaime Fillol (second round)
* Bob Maud (first round)

## Draw
### Key

* Q = Qualifier
* WC = Wild card
* LL = Lucky loser
* Alt = Alternate
* SE = Special exempt
* PR = Protected ranking
* ITF = ITF entry
* JE = Junior exempt
* w/o = Walkover
* r = Retired
* d = Defaulted
* SR = Special ranking

### Finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| 9 | Nikola Pilić | 3 | 3 | | | | | |
| 9 | Nikola Pilić | 3 | 3 | 1 | Rod Laver | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| | | | | 2 | Stan Smith | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| | Cliff Drysdale | 3 | 3 | 2 | Stan Smith | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| 2 | Stan Smith | 6 | 6 | | | | | |

### Top half

| First Round | First Round | First Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Onny Parun | 3 | 4 | | 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Roy Barth | 6 | 0 | 6 | | Roy Barth | 2 | 6$^0$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Milan Holeček | 3 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | |
| | Patricio Cornejo | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | Gerald Battrick | 3 | 6 | 2 | | | | |
| | Ove Bengtson | 6 | 6 | | | Ove Bengtson | 3 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gerald Battrick | 7 | 3 | 6 | | Gerald Battrick | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Dick Stockton | 5 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 6 |
| 8 | Cliff Richey | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | Nikola Pilić | 3 | 3 |
| | Charlie Pasarell | 1 | 6 | 4 | 8 | Cliff Richey | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jim McManus | 6 | 6 | | | Jim McManus | 3 | 6$^2$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Bob Maud | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | 8 | Cliff Richey | 6 | 6$^5$ | 6$^4$ | | | | |
| 9 | Nikola Pilić | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 9 | Nikola Pilić | 4 | 7$^7$ | 7$^7$ | | | | |
| | José Edison Mandarino | 0 | 1 | | 9 | Nikola Pilić | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Brian Gottfried | 4 | 6 | 7$^{10}$ | | Brian Gottfried | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Roy Emerson | 6 | 4 | 6$^8$ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half

| First Round | First Round | First Round | First Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Second Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 4 | Bob Lutz | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Butch Buchholz | 3 | 2 | 4 | Bob Lutz | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Terry Addison | 0 | 4 | 10 | Phil Dent | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Phil Dent | 6 | 6 | | | | | 4 | Bob Lutz | 1 | 3 | | | | | |
| | Frew McMillan | 1 | 1 | | | | | | Cliff Drysdale | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Allan Stone | 6 | 6 | | Allan Stone | 4 | 6$^3$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | Cliff Drysdale | 6 | 7$^9$ | | Cliff Drysdale | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Colin Dibley | 4 | 6$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | | Cliff Drysdale | 3 | 3 |
| 7 | John Alexander | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Stan Smith | 6 | 6 |
| | Andrew Pattison | 3 | 4 | 7 | John Alexander | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Jaime Fillol | 6 | 6 | 11 | Jaime Fillol | 4 | 6$^4$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | Barry Phillips-Moore | 2 | 4 | | | | | 7 | John Alexander | 6 | 0 | 6$^1$ | | | | |
| | Tom Edlefsen | 1 | 6$^3$ | | | | | 2 | Stan Smith | 4 | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | |
| | Frank Froehling | 6 | 7$^7$ | | Frank Froehling | 4 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Harold Solomon | 2 | 4 | 2 | Stan Smith | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Stan Smith | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |