1972 Pacific Southwest Open – Singles

The 1972 Pacific Southwest Open – Singles was an event of the 1972 Pacific Southwest Open tennis tournament and was played on outdoor hard courts at the Los Angeles Tennis Center in Los Angeles, California in the United States between September 18 and September 24, 1970. The draw comprised 64 players of which 16 were seeded. Eight players qualified via a 64-man qualifying and a 203-man pre-qualifying event. Pancho Gonzales was the defending Pacific Southwest Open champion but was defeated in the quarterfinals. Third-seeded Stan Smith won the title by defeating 13th-seeded Roscoe Tanner in the final, 6–4, 6–4.

Seeds
• 🇷🇴 Ilie Năstase (third round)

• 🇺🇸 Arthur Ashe (third round)

• 🇺🇸 Stan Smith (champion)

• 🇦🇺 Ken Rosewall (quarterfinals)

• 🇪🇸 Manuel Orantes (quarterfinals)

• 🇺🇸 Marty Riessen (third round)

• 🇺🇸 Bob Lutz (first round)

• Tom Okker (semifinals)

• 🇦🇺 Fred Stolle (first round)

• 🇺🇸 Charlie Pasarell (first round)

• 🇬🇧 Mark Cox (second round)

• 🇺🇸 Tom Gorman (semifinals)

• 🇺🇸 Roscoe Tanner (final)

• Bob Hewitt (third round)

• 🇺🇸 Jimmy Connors (third round)

• 🇬🇧 Roger Taylor (second round)