# 1972 River Oaks Tennis Tournament – Singles

The 1972 River Oaks Tennis Tournament – Singles was an event of the 1972 River Oaks Tennis Tournament men's tennis tournament and was held at the River Oaks Country Club in Houston, Texas in the United States from April 3 through April 9, 1972. Cliff Richey was the defending champion but did not compete in this edition. First-seeded Rod Laver won the singles title, defeating second-seeded Ken Rosewall in the final, 6–2, 6–4.

## Seeds

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

## 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 | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| 3 | Tom Okker | 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| 3 | Tom Okker | 2 | 1 | | 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 2 | 4 |
| 12 | Roger Taylor | 6 | 3 | 4 | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 2 | 4 |
| 2 | Ken Rosewall | 4 | 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 | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fred Stolle | 1 | 5 | | 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Bob Maud | w | o | | | Bob Maud | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Frank Froehling | | | | | | | | | 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 7 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Bill Bowrey | 2 | 5 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Bill Bowrey | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Marty Riessen | 6 | 6 | | 7 | Marty Riessen | 2 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | Ray Ruffels | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Rod Laver | 6 | 6 |
| 6 | Bob Lutz | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Tom Okker | 2 | 1 |
| | Allan Stone | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | Bob Lutz | 7 | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | John Alexander | 6 | 6 | | 11 | John Alexander | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Brian Fairlie | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | 11 | John Alexander | 6 | 4 | | | | |
| 10 | Roy Emerson | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | 3 | Tom Okker | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| | Tony Roche | 6 | 6 | | | Tony Roche | 4 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Tom Okker | 6 | 6 | | 3 | Tom Okker | 6 | 5 | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| | Bob Carmichael | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### 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 | Semifinals |
| 4 | Cliff Drysdale | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Cox | 6 | 6 | | | Mark Cox | 6 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Roger Taylor | 6 | 6 | | 12 | Roger Taylor | 1 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Roy Barth | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | 12 | Roger Taylor | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| 9 | John Newcombe | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | 9 | John Newcombe | 4 | 3 | | | | | |
| | Jeff Borowiak | 2 | 5 | | 9 | John Newcombe | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Charlie Pasarell | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | Charlie Pasarell | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Tom Leonard | 7 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | 12 | Roger Taylor | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | Arthur Ashe | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| | Ismail El Shafei | 3 | 6 | | 5 | Arthur Ashe | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Niki Pilić | 6 | 7 | | | Niki Pilić | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Owen Davidson | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | Niki Pilić | 3 | 5 | | | | | |
| | Graham Stilwell | w | o | | | | | | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | Phil Dent | | | | | Graham Stilwell | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Terry Addison | 4 | 1 | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Ken Rosewall | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |