title: 1974 World Championship Tennis Finals – Singles
text: # 1974 World Championship Tennis Finals – Singles
  
  Stan Smith was the defending champion but lost in the semifinals to John Newcombe.
  
  Newcombe won in the final 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–2 against Björn Borg.
  
  ## Seeds
  
  A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.
  
  * Rod Laver (quarterfinals)
  * Björn Borg (final)
  * Ilie Năstase (quarterfinals)
  * John Newcombe (champion)
  * Tom Okker (quarterfinals)
  * Jan Kodeš (semifinals)
  * Arthur Ashe (quarterfinals)
  * Stan Smith (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
  
  | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Rod Laver | $7^8$ | 4 | 4 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 8 | Stan Smith | $6^6$ | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 8 | Stan Smith | $6^6$ | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Stan Smith | 1 | 6 | $6^3$ | 2 | | | | | | |
  | | | | | | | 4 | John Newcombe | 6 | 3 | $7^7$ | 6 | | | | | | |
  | 4 | John Newcombe | 6 | 6 | 6 | | 4 | John Newcombe | 6 | 3 | $7^7$ | 6 | | | | | | |
  | 5 | Tom Okker | 3 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 5 | Tom Okker | 3 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | 4 | John Newcombe | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Björn Borg | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
  | 6 | Jan Kodeš | $7^7$ | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Björn Borg | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
  | 3 | Ilie Năstase | $6^3$ | 1 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 3 | Ilie Năstase | $6^3$ | 1 | 5 | | 6 | Jan Kodeš | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | |
  | | | | | | | 2 | Björn Borg | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
  | 7 | Arthur Ashe | 5 | 4 | $6^6$ | | 2 | Björn Borg | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
  | 2 | Björn Borg | 7 | 6 | $7^8$ | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  