# 1972 Australian Open – Women's singles

Virginia Wade defeated Evonne Goolagong in the final, 6–4, 6–4 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1972 Australian Open. It was her second major singles title. Wade was making her tournament debut.
Margaret Court was the three-time reigning champion, but did not compete this year due to pregnancy.

## Seeds

A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.
* Evonne Goolagong (final)
* Virginia Wade (champion)
* Gail Chanfreau (quarterfinals)
* Helen Gourlay (semifinals)
* Olga Morozova (quarterfinals)
* Kerry Harris (semifinals)
* Karen Krantzcke (second round)
* Barbara Hawcroft (quarterfinals)

## 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

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Evonne Goolagong | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Barbara Hawcroft | 1 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Barbara Hawcroft | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | Evonne Goolagong | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | Helen Gourlay | 2 | 6 | | | | | |
| 4 | Helen Gourlay | 6 | 6 | | 4 | Helen Gourlay | 2 | 6 | | | | | |
| 5 | Olga Morozova | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Olga Morozova | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | 1 | Evonne Goolagong | 4 | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Virginia Wade | 6 | 6 |
| 6 | Kerry Harris | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Virginia Wade | 6 | 6 |
| 3 | Gail Chanfreau | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Gail Chanfreau | 3 | 6 | | 6 | Kerry Harris | 6 | 6 | 0 | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Virginia Wade | 7 | 2 | 6 | | | | |
| | Patricia Coleman | 2 | 2 | | 2 | Virginia Wade | 7 | 2 | 6 | | | | |
| 2 | Virginia Wade | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 1

| 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 | E Goolagong | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | H Worland | 0 | 1 | 1 | E Goolagong | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Whyte | 6 | 6 | | J Whyte | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Coleman | 4 | 2 | | | | | | 1 | E Goolagong | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | |
| | M Schallau | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 8 | B Hawcroft | 1 | 6 | 1 | | | | |
| | K Wilkinson | 1 | 2 | | M Schallau | 7 | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | D James | 5 | 1 | 8 | B Hawcroft | 5 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | B Hawcroft | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | E Goolagong | 6 | 7 |
| 4 | H Gourlay | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | H Gourlay | 2 | 6 |
| | P Billing | 1 | 2 | 4 | H Gourlay | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Morgan | 4 | 2 | | M Tesch | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Tesch | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 4 | H Gourlay | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | R Knobel | 2 | 4 | | | | | | 5 | O Morozova | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| | S Irvine | 6 | 6 | | S Irvine | 5 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | K Williams | 0 | 1 | 5 | O Morozova | 7 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | O Morozova | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 6 | K Harris | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Matison | 3 | 2 | | 6 | K Harris | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Hole | 0 | 4 | | | W Turnbull | 1 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | W Turnbull | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 6 | K Harris | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | J Young | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 3 | G Chanfreau | 3 | 6 | | | | | |
| | A Lebedeff | 0 | 1 | | | J Young | 5 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Dart | 2 | 1 | | 3 | G Chanfreau | 7 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | G Chanfreau | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | K Harris | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 7 | K Krantzcke | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | V Wade | 7 | 2 | 6 |
| | P Whytcross | 2 | 0 | | 7 | K Krantzcke | 6 | 7 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | P Coleman | 6 | 6 | | | P Coleman | 7 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Pratt | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | P Coleman | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| | J Harris | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | 2 | V Wade | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | P King | 3 | 7 | 1 | | J Harris | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Norquay | 3 | 1 | | | V Wade | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | V Wade | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |