# 1972 United Bank Classic – Singles

First-seeded Rod Laver won the men's singles title at the 1972 United Bank Classic tennis tournament.

## Seeds

* Rod Laver (champion)
* Ken Rosewall (second round)
* Tom Okker (semifinals)
* Cliff Drysdale (second round)
* Arthur Ashe (quarterfinals)
* Marty Riessen (final)
* Bob Lutz (quarterfinals)
* Charlie Pasarell (second round)
* John Newcombe (quarterfinals)
* Roy Emerson (semifinals)
* Roger Taylor (second round)
* John Alexander (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

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 10 | Roy Emerson | 6 | 4 | | | | | |
| 6 | Marty Riessen | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| 6 | Marty Riessen | 7 | 6 | 6 | Marty Riessen | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| | | | | 1 | Rod Laver | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| 2 | Tom Okker | 3 | 6 | 1 | Rod Laver | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 7 | | | | | |

### 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 |
| 2 | Ken Rosewall | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Brian Fairlie | 4 | 5 | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Roy Emerson | 7 | 6 | | 10 | Roy Emerson | 7 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Bob Carmichael | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | 10 | Roy Emerson | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | |
| | Niki Pilić | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | 7 | Bob Lutz | 2 | 6 | 1 | | | | |
| | Allan Stone | 7 | 7 | | | Allan Stone | 5 | 7 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Bob Lutz | 2 | 7 | 6 | 7 | Bob Lutz | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jeff Borowiak | 6 | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | Roy Emerson | 6 | 4 |
| 6 | Marty Riessen | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Marty Riessen | 7 | 6 |
| | Frank Froehling | 4 | 2 | | 6 | Marty Riessen | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fred Stolle | 6 | 6 | | | Fred Stolle | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Bill Bowrey | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | 6 | Marty Riessen | 5 | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| 9 | John Newcombe | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 9 | John Newcombe | 7 | 6 | 3 | | | | |
| | Mark Cox | 3 | 2 | | 9 | John Newcombe | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Cliff Drysdale | 7 | 6 | | 4 | Cliff Drysdale | 3 | 7 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ismail El Shafei | 5 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom 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 | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 3 | Tom Okker | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Tony Roche | 1 | 3 | | 3 | Tom Okker | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Owen Davidson | 5 | 7 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Tom Okker | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| 11 | Roger Taylor | 3 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | 5 | Arthur Ashe | 5 | 3 | | | | |
| | Graham Stilwell | 6 | 4 | 6 | 11 | Roger Taylor | 6 | 7 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Arthur Ashe | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | Arthur Ashe | 7 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Tom Leonard | 7 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Tom Okker | 3 | 6 |
| 8 | Charlie Pasarell | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 7 |
| | Bob Maud | 7 | 3 | 6 | 8 | Charlie Pasarell | 4 | 7 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | John Alexander | 7 | 6 | | 12 | John Alexander | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Ray Ruffels | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | 12 | John Alexander | 4 | 3 | | | | |
| | Cliff Richey | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Terry Addison | 6 | 5 | | | Cliff Richey | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Roy Barth | 7 | 0 | 4 | 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Rod Laver | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |