title: 1973 World Championship Tennis Finals – Singles
text: # 1973 World Championship Tennis Finals – Singles
  
  Ken Rosewall was the defending champion but lost in the semifinals to Arthur Ashe.
  
  Stan Smith won the singles title of the 1973 World Championship Tennis Finals after a 6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4 in the final against Ashe.
  
  ## Seeds
  
  A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.
  
  * Stan Smith (champion)
  * Roger Taylor (quarterfinals)
  * Marty Riessen (quarterfinals)
  * Rod Laver (semifinals)
  * Roy Emerson (quarterfinals)
  * Arthur Ashe (final)
  * Ken Rosewall (semifinals)
  * 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
  
  | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Stan Smith | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 8 | John Alexander | 4 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 8 | John Alexander | 4 | 2 | 1 | | | 1 | Stan Smith | 4 | 6 | $7^7$ | 7 | | | | | | | |
  | | | | | | | | 4 | Rod Laver | 6 | 4 | $6^2$ | 5 | | | | | | | |
  | 4 | Rod Laver | 7 | 6 | 7 | | | 4 | Rod Laver | 6 | 4 | $6^2$ | 5 | | | | | | | |
  | 5 | Roy Emerson | 5 | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 5 | Roy Emerson | 5 | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Stan Smith | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Arthur Ashe | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
  | 6 | Arthur Ashe | $7^7$ | 4 | 7 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Arthur Ashe | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
  | 3 | Marty Riessen | $6^3$ | 6 | 5 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 3 | Marty Riessen | $6^3$ | 6 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 6 | Arthur Ashe | 6 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 6 | | | | | | |
  | | | | | | | | 7 | Ken Rosewall | 4 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | |
  | 7 | Ken Rosewall | 4 | 6 | $6^5$ | 6 | 6 | 7 | Ken Rosewall | 4 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | |
  | 2 | Roger Taylor | 6 | 2 | $7^7$ | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  