1972 French Open – Men's Singles

It was his first and only major title and, at the age of 34, he became the oldest first-time major champion in the Open Era.

Men's singles
1972 French Open
Final
Champion	Andrés Gimeno
Runner-up	Patrick Proisy
Score	4–6, 6–3, 6–1, 6–1
Details
Draw	64 (16 Q )
Seeds	16
Events
Singles men women boys girls Doubles men women mixed boys girls WC Singles men women quad WC Doubles men women quad Legends −45 45+ women
← 1971 · French Open · 1973 →

Jan Kodeš was the two-time defending champion, but lost in the quarterfinals to Proisy.

The French Lawn Tennis Federation halved the size of the draw from 128 to 64 players in an attempt to attract the top players on tour to the tournament; this change was reverted the following year as results were mixed.

The seeded players are listed below. Andrés Gimeno is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.

Key

Finals

	Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Final
		Adriano Panatta	6	9	3	3
	10	Alex Metreveli	8	7	6	6
										10	Alex Metreveli	6	3	1	6	3
										6	Andrés Gimeno	4	6	6	2	6
	3	Stan Smith	1	9	0	5
	6	Andrés Gimeno	6	7	6	7
																			6	Andrés Gimeno	4	6	6	6
																			9	Patrick Proisy	6	3	1	1
		Harold Solomon	4	7	3	2
	4	Manuel Orantes	6	5	6	6
										4	Manuel Orantes	3	5	2
										9	Patrick Proisy	6	7	6
	9	Patrick Proisy	6	6	2	6	6
	1	Jan Kodeš	3	8	6	2	1

Section 1

	First preliminary round									Second preliminary round									First round									Second round									Third round
																			2	I Năstase	6	7	4	3
																				A Panatta	1	9	6	6
																													A Panatta	6	2	7	6
		JB Chanfreau	4	0	3																								V Korotkov	1	6	5	3
	Q	P Rodríguez	6	6	6					Q	P Rodríguez	7	5	2	1
		D Lloyd	6	5	2	0					V Korotkov	5	7	6	6
		V Korotkov	1	7	6	6														V Korotkov	10	0	6	5	6
																				C Dibley	8	6	2	7	3
																																						A Panatta	6	7	6	6
																																						R Moore	0	9	3	2
																				H Rahim	6	3	8	4	3
																				R Moore	2	6	6	6	6
																													R Moore	w/o
	LL	M di Domenico	5	5	7	6	5																						A Pattison
	Q	P Beust	7	7	5	2	7			Q	P Beust	5	1	3
		P Cornejo	6	11	6						P Cornejo	7	6	6
		S Likhachev	3	9	3															P Cornejo	3	4	6	1
																				A Pattison	6	6	4	6

Section 2

	First preliminary round									Second preliminary round									First round									Second round									Third round
																			7	P Barthès	w/o
																				L Hoad
																												7	P Barthès	6	6	6
		T Lejus	1	2	6	1																							G Masters	3	3	4
	Q	G Varga	6	6	4	6				Q	G Varga	7	5	2	1
		T Sakai	4	6	6	2	2				G Masters	5	7	6	6
		G Masters	6	1	2	6	6													G Masters	6	6	6
																				T Nowicki	1	1	2
																																					7	P Barthès	6	2	12	3
																																					10	A Metreveli	8	6	10	6
																			10	A Metreveli	6	2	6	6
																				H Elschenbroich	3	6	4	3
																												10	A Metreveli	6	6	7	7
		O Bengtson	2	10	4																								W Gąsiorek	0	4	9	5
	Q	R Cano	6	12	6					Q	R Cano	6	3	3	6	2
		W Gąsiorek	6	6	3	3	7				W Gąsiorek	3	6	6	3	6
		R Case	1	1	6	6	5													W Gąsiorek	5	6	6	6
																				P Cramer	7	4	4	3

Section 3

	First preliminary round									Second preliminary round									First round									Second round									Third round
																			3	S Smith	6	6	6
																				JL Rouyer	4	2	4
																												3	S Smith	6	7	7	6
		P Mărmureanu	6	5	6																								B Mignot	3	5	9	3
	Q	T Kakulia	8	7	8					Q	T Kakoulia	6	7	6
		J Guerrero	6	3	4	6					N Špear	4	5	3
		N Špear	4	6	6	8													Q	T Kakoulia	0	1	5
																				B Mignot	6	6	7
																																					3	S Smith	6	6	6
																																					14	F Pála	4	0	3
																			14	F Pála	6	7	6
																				A Olmedo	2	5	2
																												14	F Pála	10	10	9	8
		B Gottfried	3	6	6	9																							B Gottfried	8	8	11	6
	Q	B Montrenaud	6	4	0	7					B Gottfried	6	6	6
		JP Meyer	8	7	6						JP Meyer	2	4	3
		J Osborne	6	5	4															B Gottfried	6	6	6
																				P Dominguez	2	3	1

Section 4

	First preliminary round									Second preliminary round									First round									Second round									Third round
																			6	A Gimeno	6	6	6
																				J Pinto-Bravo	2	2	1
																												6	A Gimeno	6	6	6
		J Velasco	7	2	3																								P Hombergen	1	3	1
	Q	P Toci	9	6	6					Q	P Toci	4	0	6	0
		T Ulrich	6	6	2	1	1				D Contet	6	6	0	6
		D Contet	3	4	6	6	6													D Contet	0	2	0
																				P Hombergen	6	6	6
																																					6	A Gimeno	3	6	5	6	6
																																					11	C Graebner	6	3	7	2	1
																			11	C Graebner	6	6	6
																				T Koch	2	0	2
																												11	C Graebner	6	6	6
		J Hřebec	6	7	6																								J Hřebec	1	0	4
	Q	F Pierson	4	5	4						J Hřebec	6	6	6
		A Korpás	6	6	6						A Korpás	1	3	2
		J Kamiwazumi	4	3	2															J Hřebec	1	6	6	1	6
																				I Gulyás	6	2	2	6	3

Section 5

	First preliminary round									Second preliminary round									First round									Second round									Third round
																				H Solomon	6
																				M Mulligan	1	r.
																													H Solomon	6	7	6
		A Muñoz	6	6	6																							12	J Connors	4	5	1
		J Cooper	2	0	2						A Muñoz	6	6	6
	Q	S Stewart	5	6	2	7					J Kukal	2	3	4
		J Kukal	7	4	6	9														A Muñoz	3	5	6
																			12	J Connors	6	7	8
																																						H Solomon	3	8	6	6	6
																																						G Vilas	6	10	2	4	4
																				S Baranyi	6	9	6
																				I Țiriac	2	7	3
																													S Baranyi	6	2	7	6	3
		K Warwick	5	6	9	6																							G Vilas	3	6	5	8	6
		H Kary	7	3	7	4					K Warwick	3	0	0
	Q	S Faulk	5	3	4						G Vilas	6	6	6
		G Vilas	7	6	6															G Vilas	0	8	8	2	6
																			5	B Hewitt	6	6	6	6	2

Section 6

	First preliminary round									Second preliminary round									First round									Second round									Third round
																				D Crealy	2	6	9	4
																				N Pietrangeli	6	3	11	6
																													N Pietrangeli	6	6	4	6
		J Mukerjea	6	6	6																							13	J Fillol Sr.	3	2	6	4
		W N'Godrella	3	2	3						J Mukerjea	3	5	2
	Q	J De Mendoza	6	6	1	6				Q	J De Mendoza	6	7	6
		E Castigliano	2	1	6	4													Q	J De Mendoza	6	6	4	2
																			13	J Fillol Sr.	2	8	6	6
																																						N Pietrangeli	2	1	3
																																					4	M Orantes	6	6	6
																				G Goven
																				B Jovanović	w/o
																													B Jovanović	0	1	0
		M Holeček	7	6	2	1	2																					4	M Orantes	6	6	6
		E Di Matteo	5	3	6	6	6				E Di Matteo	6	6	11
	Q	Z Ivančić	6	2	6	3	2				M Leclercq	2	2	9
		M Leclercq	3	6	0	6	6													E Di Matteo	6	1	7	1
																			4	M Orantes	4	6	9	6

Section 7

	First preliminary round									Second preliminary round									First round									Second round									Third round
																				J Gisbert Sr	6	6	8
																				V Zednik	4	3	6
																													J Gisbert Sr	4	3	6	6
		J McManus	4	6	3	8	3																					9	P Proisy	6	6	2	8
		A Zugarelli	6	3	6	6	6				A Zugarelli	6	2	14	2
	Q	R Seegers	6	0	6	1	7				J Mandarino	4	6	16	6
		J Mandarino	1	6	3	6	9													J Mandarino	2	6	3
																			9	P Proisy	6	8	6
																																					9	P Proisy	6	1	6	6
																																						I Fletcher	4	6	2	3
																				P Bertolucci	0	4	1
																				F Jauffret	6	6	6
																													F Jauffret	8	3	2	4
		W Bungert	1	3	3																								I Fletcher	6	6	6	6
		J Paish	6	6	6						J Paish	4	3	1
	Q	S Turner	6	0	2	3					I Fletcher	6	6	6
		I Fletcher	4	6	6	6														I Fletcher	6	6	6
																			8	Z Franulović	4	4	1

Section 8

	First preliminary round									Second preliminary round									First round									Second round									Third round
																				O Parun	6	6	8
																				T Gorman	3	3	6
																													O Parun	2	4	2
		I Molina	6	6	3	7	5																					16	B Phillips-Moore	6	6	6
		N Kalogeropoulos	4	3	6	9	7				N Kalogeropoulos	3	6	6	4	2
	Q	B Rheinberger	3	5	6	6	3				J Fassbender	6	3	3	6	6
		J Fassbender	6	7	3	4	6													J Fassbender	1	4	1
																			16	B Phillips-Moore	6	6	6
																																					16	B Phillips-Moore	4	2	4
																																					1	J Kodeš	6	6	6
																				P Szőke	5	6	4	3
																				F McMillan	7	2	6	6
																													F McMillan	3	0	3
		C Barazzutti	6	1	3	4																						1	J Kodeš	6	6	6
		JC Barclay	2	6	6	6					JC Barclay	6	3	6	7
	Q	A McDonald	4	6	6	6				Q	A McDonald	1	6	0	5
		T Ryan	6	1	3	3														JC Barclay	5	7	6	2
																			1	J Kodeš	7	9	2	6