Singles, Men

For the singles qualification, the world ranking list was used with a maximum of four players per nation. The 56 best players qualified for Rio with eight more places being awarded by the International Tennis Federation. No two players from the same country started within the same section of the draw, which consisted of four sections of 16 players, thus making it impossible for them to meet until the semi-finals.

Serbian Novak Đoković, the number one ranked player, lost his first round match against Argentinian Juan Martín del Potro, leaving the way clear for Andy Murray to defend his title. Del Potro had already beaten Đoković in the bronze medal match in London 2012, and now won against Rafael Nadal in the semi-final in Rio, but lost the final against Murray 5-7, 6-4, 2-6, 5-7. This made Murray the first ever tennis player to win two consecutive singles gold medals. For Del Potro, it was a major comeback, as he had been out of high-level competition most of the last Olympiad with wrist problems, having undergone multiple surgeries.