# 1997 Dubai Tennis Championships – Singles

Goran Ivanišević was the defending champion but lost in the final 7–5, 7–6$^{(7–3)}$ against Thomas Muster.

## Seeds

A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.
* Goran Ivanišević (final)
* Thomas Muster (champion)
* Richard Krajicek (quarterfinals)
* Wayne Ferreira (quarterfinals)
* Carlos Moyá (first round)
* Albert Costa (second round)
* Boris Becker (quarterfinals)
* Félix Mantilla (first round)

## 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
| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | G Ivanišević | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Y El Aynaoui | 3 | 4 | | 1 | G Ivanišević | 7$^{10}$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Ulihrach | 6 | 6 | | | B Ulihrach | 6$^8$ | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Karbacher | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | 1 | G Ivanišević | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | |
| LL | D Rikl | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | 7 | B Becker | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Stolle | 7 | 6 | | | S Stolle | 6$^7$ | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M-K Goellner | 2 | 7$^7$ | 2 | 7 | B Becker | 7$^9$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | B Becker | 6 | 6$^5$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | G Ivanišević | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | |
| 3 | R Krajicek | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | J Novák | 1 | 6 | 3 | | | | |
| WC | L Paes | 7 | 4 | 2 | 3 | R Krajicek | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | L Jonsson | 4 | 7$^7$ | 2 | | J Sánchez | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Sánchez | 6 | 6$^2$ | 6 | | | | | | 3 | R Krajicek | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Furlan | 4 | 6$^6$ | | | | | | | | J Novák | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| LL | H J Davids | 6 | 7$^8$ | | LL | H J Davids | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Novák | 2 | 6 | 7 | | J Novák | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | C Moyá | 6 | 0 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Goran Ivanišević | 5 | 6$^3$ |
| 6 | A Costa | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | WC/2 | Thomas Muster | 7 | 7$^7$ |
| | D Prinosil | 2 | 4 | | 6 | A Costa | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Medvedev | 3 | 0 | | | J Courier | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Courier | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | J Courier | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | P Cash | 7$^7$ | 7$^8$ | | | | | | | 4 | W Ferreira | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Costa | 6$^4$ | 6$^6$ | | WC | P Cash | 6 | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Carretero | 3 | 6$^8$ | | 4 | W Ferreira | 3 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | W Ferreira | 6 | 7$^{10}$ | | | | | | | | | | | | | J Courier | 6$^3$ | 6 | 3 | | | | |
| 8 | F Mantilla | 4 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | WC/2 | T Muster | 7$^7$ | 2 | 6 | | | | |
| | C Ruud | 6 | 2 | 6 | | C Ruud | 1 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | H Gumy | 6 | 6 | | | H Gumy | 6 | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | J Sekulov | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | C Ruud | 4 | 7$^7$ | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | T Henman | 6$^5$ | 4 | | | | | | | WC/2 | T Muster | 6 | 6$^3$ | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | M Sinner | 7$^7$ | 6 | | Q | M Sinner | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | T Nydahl | 4 | 3 | | WC/2 | T Muster | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC/2 | T Muster | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |