# 2021 Dubai Tennis Championships – Men's singles

Aslan Karatsev won his first ATP Tour singles title, defeating Lloyd Harris in the final, 6–3, 6–2 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 2021 Dubai Tennis Championships. Karatsev became the second wildcard in the tournament's history to win the men's singles title. Harris was the first qualifier to reach the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Novak Djokovic was the defending champion, but chose not to participate.

## Seeds

All seeds receive a bye into the second round.
* Dominic Thiem (second round)
* Andrey Rublev (semifinals)
* Denis Shapovalov (semifinals)
* Roberto Bautista Agut (third round)
* David Goffin (second round)
* Pablo Carreño Busta (second round)
* Stan Wawrinka (withdrew)
* Karen Khachanov (third round)
* Alex de Minaur (second round)
* Borna Ćorić (withdrew)
* Dušan Lajović (third round)
* Dan Evans (second round)
* Hubert Hurkacz (third round)
* Filip Krajinović (third round)
* Taylor Fritz (third round)
* Jannik Sinner (quarterfinals)
* Lorenzo Sonego (third round)
The players who also received a bye into the second round were as follows, each semifinalist from Doha or Marseille:
* Nikoloz Basilashvili
* Matthew Ebden
The other six byes were removed, and six players were added to the main draw.

## 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

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Q | Lloyd Harris | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kei Nishikori | 1 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kei Nishikori | 1 | 6 | 3 | Q | Lloyd Harris | 6$^5$ | 6 | 7$^8$ | | | | |
| | | | | | 3 | Denis Shapovalov | 7$^7$ | 4 | 6$^6$ | | | | |
| 3 | Denis Shapovalov | 7 | 6 | | 3 | Denis Shapovalov | 7$^7$ | 4 | 6$^6$ | | | | |
| | Jérémy Chardy | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jérémy Chardy | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | Q | Lloyd Harris | 3 | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | | WC | Aslan Karatsev | 6 | 6 |
| WC | Aslan Karatsev | 6$^5$ | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | WC | Aslan Karatsev | 6 | 6 |
| 16 | Jannik Sinner | 7$^7$ | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Jannik Sinner | 7$^7$ | 3 | 2 | WC | Aslan Karatsev | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Andrey Rublev | 2 | 6 | 4 | | | | |
| | Márton Fucsovics | 5 | 2 | | 2 | Andrey Rublev | 2 | 6 | 4 | | | | |
| 2 | Andrey Rublev | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Top half
#### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | 1 | D Thiem | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | C O'Connell | 7$^7$ | 4 | 1 | Q | L Harris | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | L Harris | 6$^5$ | 6 | 6 | | | | | Q | L Harris | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | |
| | A Davidovich Fokina | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 14 | F Krajinović | 6$^5$ | 4 | | | | | |
| LL | R Albot | 4 | 4 | | | A Davidovich Fokina | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 14 | F Krajinović | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Q | L Harris | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | K Nishikori | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| | | | | | LL | L Giustino | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Y Bhambri | 6 | 1 | 4 | | A Bedene | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Bedene | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | A Bedene | 4 | 4 | | | | | |
| | K Nishikori | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | K Nishikori | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | R Opelka | 6 | 3 | 4 | | K Nishikori | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | D Goffin | 3 | 6$^3$ | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | 3 | D Shapovalov | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J-L Struff | 6 | 6 | | | J-L Struff | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | M Kukushkin | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | 3 | D Shapovalov | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | R Gasquet | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 13 | H Hurkacz | 4 | 3 | | | | | |
| | M Cecchinato | 4 | 2 | | | R Gasquet | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 13 | H Hurkacz | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | D Shapovalov | 7 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | J Chardy | 5 | 4 |
| | | | | | 9 | A de Minaur | 6 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Chardy | 6 | 3 | 6 | | J Chardy | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Ramos Viñolas | 3 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | J Chardy | 6$^3$ | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| WC | A Popyrin | 7$^7$ | 7 | | | | | | | 8 | K Khachanov | 7$^7$ | 4 | 4 | | | | |
| WC | D Novak | 6$^3$ | 5 | | WC | A Popyrin | 4 | 6 | 6$^4$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 8 | K Khachanov | 6 | 3 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half
#### Section 3

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | 17 | L Sonego | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | B Zapata Miralles | 6 | 6 | Q | B Zapata Miralles | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Millman | 4 | 4 | | | | | | 17 | L Sonego | 6 | 3 | 4 | | | | | |
| WC | A Karatsev | 6 | 6 | | | | | | WC | A Karatsev | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | E Gerasimov | 4 | 4 | WC | A Karatsev | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | 12 | D Evans | 4 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | WC | A Karatsev | 6$^5$ | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | J Sinner | 7$^7$ | 3 | 2 |
| | | | | 16 | J Sinner | 2 | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Y Nishioka | 4 | 6$^4$ | | A Bublik | 6 | 6$^2$ | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Bublik | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | 16 | J Sinner | 6 | 3 | 7 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 4 | R Bautista Agut | 4 | 6 | 5 | | | | | |
| | | | | SE | M Ebden | 1$^r$ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | 4 | R Bautista Agut | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 4

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | 6 | P Carreño Busta | 7$^7$ | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | V Pospisil | 6 | 5 | 4 | | M Fucsovics | 6$^5$ | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Fucsovics | 2 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | M Fucsovics | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | |
| WC | M Jaziri | 3 | | | | | | | | 11 | D Lajović | 1 | 6 | 4 | | | | |
| | J-W Tsonga | 3$^r$ | | | WC | M Jaziri | 5 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 11 | D Lajović | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | M Fucsovics | 5 | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | A Rublev | 7 | 6 |
| | | | | | 15 | T Fritz | 4 | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | N Basilashvili | 6 | 3 | 6$^4$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 15 | T Fritz | 3 | 1 | | | | | |
| Q | E Ruusuvuori | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | 2 | A Rublev | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | J Thompson | 3 | 6$^5$ | | Q | E Ruusuvuori | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | A Rublev | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

## Qualifying
### Seeds

* Radu Albot (qualifying competition, lucky loser)
* Lloyd Harris (qualified)
* Emil Ruusuvuori (qualified)
* Mikhail Kukushkin (qualified)
* Christopher O'Connell (qualified)
* Evgeny Donskoy (first round)
* Prajnesh Gunneswaran (first round)
* Marc Polmans (first round)
* Bernabé Zapata Miralles (qualified)
* Lorenzo Giustino (qualifying competition, lucky loser)
* Blaž Rola (qualifying competition)
* Thomas Fabbiano (qualifying competition)

### Qualifiers

* Bernabé Zapata Miralles
* Lloyd Harris
* Emil Ruusuvuori
* Mikhail Kukushkin
* Christopher O'Connell
* Yuki Bhambri

### Lucky losers

* Radu Albot
* Lorenzo Giustino

### Qualifying draw
#### First qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 1 | Radu Albot | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Lukáš Lacko | 6 | 4 | 4 | | | | | |
| | Lukáš Lacko | 6 | 4 | 4 | 1 | Radu Albot | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| | | | | | 9 | Bernabé Zapata Miralles | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| WC | Omar Alawadhi | 0 | 0 | | 9 | Bernabé Zapata Miralles | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| 9 | Bernabé Zapata Miralles | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |

#### Second qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 2 | Lloyd Harris | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Teymuraz Gabashvili | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| | Teymuraz Gabashvili | 1 | 2 | | 2 | Lloyd Harris | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | 11 | Blaž Rola | 2 | 4 |
| | Dmitry Popko | 3 | 6 | 6$^{12}$ | 11 | Blaž Rola | 2 | 4 |
| 11 | Blaž Rola | 6 | 4 | 7$^{14}$ | | | | |

#### Third qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 3 | Emil Ruusuvuori | 7$^7$ | 4 | 6 | | | | |
| WC | Dimitar Kuzmanov | 6$^4$ | 6 | 1 | | | | |
| WC | Dimitar Kuzmanov | 6$^4$ | 6 | 1 | 3 | Emil Ruusuvuori | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | Viktor Troicki | 2 | 2 |
| | Viktor Troicki | 7 | 6 | | | Viktor Troicki | 2 | 2 |
| 8 | Marc Polmans | 5 | 0 | | | | | |

#### Fourth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 4 | Mikhail Kukushkin | 7 | 3 | 6 | | | | |
| | Maxime Janvier | 5 | 6 | 1 | | | | |
| | Maxime Janvier | 5 | 6 | 1 | 4 | Mikhail Kukushkin | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | 10 | Lorenzo Giustino | 2 | 2 |
| Alt | Andrea Vavassori | 3 | 3 | | 10 | Lorenzo Giustino | 2 | 2 |
| 10 | Lorenzo Giustino | 6 | 6 | | | | | |

#### Fifth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 5 | Christopher O'Connell | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Cem İlkel | 3 | 4 | | | | |
| | Cem İlkel | 3 | 4 | 5 | Christopher O'Connell | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | 12 | Thomas Fabbiano | 2 | 4 |
| WC | Abdulrahman Al Janahi | 1 | 2 | 12 | Thomas Fabbiano | 2 | 4 |
| 12 | Thomas Fabbiano | 6 | 6 | | | | |

#### Sixth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 6 | Evgeny Donskoy | 4 | 4 | | | | | |
| | Ramkumar Ramanathan | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Ramkumar Ramanathan | 6 | 6 | | Ramkumar Ramanathan | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| | | | | PR | Yuki Bhambri | 7 | 5 | 6 |
| PR | Yuki Bhambri | 6 | 6 | PR | Yuki Bhambri | 7 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | Prajnesh Gunneswaran | 1 | 4 | | | | | |