2021 Italian Open – Men's singles

Rafael Nadal defeated the defending champion Novak Djokovic in the final, 7–5, 1–6, 6–3 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 2021 Italian Open. It was his record-extending tenth Italian Open title and record-equaling 36th Masters 1000 title overall (matching Djokovic's tally). Nadal saved two match points en route to the title, in his third round match against Denis Shapovalov. This marked the fourth tournament that Nadal had won on 10 or more occasions (in addition to the French Open, the Monte-Carlo Masters, and the Barcelona Open), making him the only tennis player to do so.

It was Djokovic's sixth runner-up finish at the Italian Open, a record for the most runner-up finishes at one event on the ATP Tour. (Djokovic equaled this record later that year at the US Open, while attempting to complete the Grand Slam).

Lorenzo Sonego became the first Italian man to reach the semifinals in Rome since Filippo Volandri in 2007.

Seeds
The top eight seeds received a bye into the second round. • 🇷🇸 Novak Djokovic (final)

• 🇪🇸 Rafael Nadal (champion)

• 🇷🇺 Daniil Medvedev (second round)

• 🇦🇹 Dominic Thiem (third round)

• Stefanos Tsitsipas (quarterfinals)

• 🇩🇪 Alexander Zverev (quarterfinals)

• 🇷🇺 Andrey Rublev (quarterfinals)

• 🇦🇷 Diego Schwartzman (second round)

• 🇮🇹 Matteo Berrettini (third round)

• 🇪🇸 Roberto Bautista Agut (third round)

• 🇪🇸 Pablo Carreño Busta (second round, withdrew)

• 🇧🇪 David Goffin (second round)

• 🇨🇦 Denis Shapovalov (third round)

• 🇫🇷 Gaël Monfils (first round)

• 🇵🇱 Hubert Hurkacz (first round, retired)

• 🇧🇬 Grigor Dimitrov (first round)

Seeds
• # 🇬🇧 Cameron Norrie (qualified)

• # 🇪🇸 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (qualified)

• # Aljaž Bedene (qualifying competition, lucky loser)

• # 🇺🇸 Tommy Paul (qualified)

• # 🇯🇵 Yoshihito Nishioka (qualifying competition, lucky loser)

• # 🇺🇸 Tennys Sandgren (first round)

• # 🇺🇸 Frances Tiafoe (qualifying competition, retired)

• # 🇫🇷 Corentin Moutet (qualifying competition)

• # 🇧🇾 Egor Gerasimov (first round)

• # 🇦🇺 Alexei Popyrin (first round)

• # 🇦🇷 Federico Delbonis (qualified)

• # 🇧🇷 Thiago Monteiro (qualifying competition)

• # 🇲🇩 Radu Albot (withdrew)

• # 🇪🇸 Jaume Munar (first round)

Qualifiers
• # 🇬🇧 Cameron Norrie

• # 🇪🇸 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

• # 🇧🇴 Hugo Dellien

• # 🇺🇸 Tommy Paul

• # 🇵🇱 Kamil Majchrzak

• # 🇪🇸 Roberto Carballés Baena

• # 🇦🇷 Federico Delbonis

Lucky losers
• # Aljaž Bedene

• # 🇯🇵 Yoshihito Nishioka

Seeds
The following are the seeded players. Seedings are based on ATP rankings as of 3 May 2021. Rankings and points before are as of 10 May 2021.

Other entrants
The following players received wild cards into the main singles draw:
 * 🇮🇹 Salvatore Caruso
 * 🇮🇹 Gianluca Mager
 * 🇮🇹 Lorenzo Musetti
 * 🇮🇹 Stefano Travaglia

The following players received entry from the singles qualifying draw:
 * 🇪🇸 Roberto Carballés Baena
 * 🇪🇸 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
 * 🇦🇷 Federico Delbonis
 * 🇧🇴 Hugo Dellien
 * 🇵🇱 Kamil Majchrzak
 * 🇬🇧 Cameron Norrie
 * 🇺🇸 Tommy Paul

The following players received entry as lucky losers:
 * Aljaž Bedene
 * 🇯🇵 Yoshihito Nishioka

Withdrawals

 * Before the tournament
 * Borna Ćorić → replaced by 🇷🇸 Miomir Kecmanović
 * Roger Federer → replaced by 🇺🇸 Reilly Opelka
 * 🇺🇸 John Isner → replaced by 🇷🇸 Laslo Đere
 * 🇦🇷 Guido Pella → replaced by 🇯🇵 Yoshihito Nishioka
 * 🇳🇴 Casper Ruud → replaced by Aljaž Bedene
 * Stan Wawrinka → replaced by Lloyd Harris


 * During the tournament
 * 🇪🇸 Pablo Carreño Busta

Retirements

 * 🇵🇱 Hubert Hurkacz