Tennis at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's singles

Men's singles tennis
at the Games of the XXXI Olympiad
Men's singles tennis; at the Games of the XXXI Olympiad
	Andy Murray serving in his first-round match
Venue	Olympic Tennis Centre
Dates	6–14 August 2016
Competitors	64 from 34 nations
Medalists
	← 2012 2020 →

Men's singles
Men's singles
Tennis at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Final
Champion	Andy Murray
Runner-up	Juan Martín del Potro
Score	7–5, 4–6, 6–2, 7–5
Events
	Qualification
	Qualification

Defending gold medalist Andy Murray of Great Britain successfully retained his title, defeating Juan Martín del Potro of Argentina in the final, 7–5, 4–6, 6–2, 7–5 to win the gold medal in Men's singles tennis at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He became the first tennis player ever, male or female, to win two Olympic singles gold medals.^[1]^[2] Murray and del Potro were only the third and fourth men to win multiple singles medals of any color (following del Potro's bronze in 2012). Murray's gold was Great Britain's fifth in men's singles, the most of any nation. In the bronze medal match, Japan's Kei Nishikori defeated Spain's Rafael Nadal, 6–2, 6–7^(1–7), 6–3, earning Japan's first men's singles Olympic medal since 1920.

The tournament was held at the Olympic Tennis Centre in the Barra Olympic Park in Barra da Tijuca in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The final was played on 14 August 2016. There were 64 players from 34 nations.^[3] Notably, this was the first Olympic tournament since the 1984 men's singles, not to feature any Swiss players.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic lost in the first round to del Potro in two tiebreak sets. Djokovic was attempting to complete the Career Golden Slam and Career Super Slam; his defeat marked his first loss in the opening round of a tournament since 2009. This was the second consecutive Olympic singles match where del Potro defeated Djokovic, following their encounter in the bronze medal match in 2012.^[4]

Background

This was the 15th (medal) appearance of the men's singles tennis event. The event has been held at every Summer Olympics where tennis has been on the program: from 1896 to 1924 and then from 1988 to the current program. Demonstration events were held in 1968 and 1984.

The number one seed was Novak Djokovic of Serbia, making his third Olympic appearance after reaching the semifinals in 2008 (bronze medal) and 2012 (fourth place). The defending champion and number two seed was Andy Murray of Great Britain. Spain's Rafael Nadal, the 2008 gold medalist who was unable to compete in 2012 due to injury, was the third seed. Sidelined with injury this time was Roger Federer of Switzerland (who, like Djokovic, needed only an Olympic gold for a career Golden Slam). 2012 bronze medalist Argentinian Juan Martín del Potro returned, as did quarterfinalists Kei Nishikori of Japan (the fourth seed) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France (fifth seed).^[3]

Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Dominican Republic, Georgia, Lithuania, and Moldova each made their debut in the event. France made its 14th appearance, most among all nations, having missed only the 1904 event.

Qualification

Qualification for the men's singles was primarily through the ATP ranking list of 11 June 2016. An additional restriction was that players had to have been part of a nominated team for three Davis Cup events between 2013 and 2016 (with some exceptions). Nations had been limited to four players in the event since the 2000 Games. There were 64 quota places available for men's singles. The first 56 were assigned through the world ranking. There were two Tripartite Commission invitation places and 6 final qualification places allocated by the ITF based on continental and national representation along with world rankings.

Competition format

The competition was a single-elimination tournament with a bronze medal match. Matches were in best-of-3 sets, except for the final which was in best-of-5 sets. A tiebreak would be played in all sets reaching 6–6 (previously, no tiebreak would be used in the third set of a non-final match or the fifth set of the final).

Schedule

August
6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
11:00	11:00	11:00	11:00	—	11:00	12:00	12:00	12:00
Round of 64		Round of 32		Play cancelled due to rain	Round of 16	Quarter-finals	Semi-finals	Bronze medal match Gold medal match

Seeds

Seeds were based on ATP rankings as of 1 August 2016.^[5]

01.

Novak Djokovic (SRB) (first round)

02. Andy Murray (GBR) (champion, gold medalist)

03.

Rafael Nadal (ESP) (semifinals, fourth place)

04.

Kei Nishikori (JPN) (semifinals, bronze medalist)

05.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) (second round)

06.

Gaël Monfils (FRA) (quarterfinals)

07.

David Ferrer (ESP) (second round)

08.

David Goffin (BEL) (third round)

09.

Marin Čilić (CRO) (third round)

10.

Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) (quarterfinals)

11.

Pablo Cuevas (URU) (second round)

12.

Steve Johnson (USA) (quarterfinals)

13.

Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) (second round, withdrew due to foot injury)

14.

Jack Sock (USA) (first round)

15.

Gilles Simon (FRA) (third round)

16.

Benoît Paire (FRA) (second round)

Click on the seed number of a player to go to their draw section.

Draw

Players placement onto the table is such that no two players from the same country start within the same quarter section of the table, hence making it impossible for them to meet until the semifinals. This is enabled by the qualification rule that states that no country can bring more than four players for each of the singles tournament.^[6] The countries bringing the maximum of four players are Argentina, Australia, France, Italy, Spain and United States.

Key

TRI = Tripartite Invitation
IP = ITF place

Finals

Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Final (gold medal match)

PR	Juan Martín del Potro (ARG)	7	7⁷

10	Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)	5	6⁴
					PR	Juan Martín del Potro (ARG)	5	6	7⁷

					3	Rafael Nadal (ESP)	7	4	6⁵
3	Rafael Nadal (ESP)	2	6	6

	Thomaz Bellucci (BRA)	6	4	2
										PR	Juan Martín del Potro (ARG)	5	6	2	5

										2	Andy Murray (GBR)	7	4	6	7
6	Gaël Monfils (FRA)	6⁴	6	6⁶

4	Kei Nishikori (JPN)	7⁷	4	7⁸
					4	Kei Nishikori (JPN)	1	4		Bronze medal match

					2	Andy Murray (GBR)	6	6
12	Steve Johnson (USA)	0	6	6²						3	Rafael Nadal (ESP)	2	7⁷	3

2	Andy Murray (GBR)	6	4	7⁷						4	Kei Nishikori (JPN)	6	6¹	6

Top half

Section 1

First round					Second round					Third round					Quarterfinals

1	N Djokovic (SRB)	6⁴	6²
PR	JM del Potro (ARG)	7⁷	7⁷		PR	JM del Potro (ARG)	6	1	6
	J Sousa (POR)	6	7			J Sousa (POR)	3	6	3
	R Haase (NED)	1	5							PR	JM del Potro (ARG)	6⁴	6	6
	J Thompson (AUS)	4	2							IP	T Daniel (JPN)	7⁷	1	2
	K Edmund (GBR)	6	6			K Edmund (GBR)	4	5
IP	T Daniel (JPN)	6	6		IP	T Daniel (JPN)	6	7
14	J Sock (USA)	4	4												PR	JM del Potro (ARG)	7	7⁷
10	R Bautista Agut (ESP)	6⁴	6	0											10	R Bautista Agut (ESP)	5	6⁴
	A Kuznetsov (RUS)	7⁷	2	0^r	10	R Bautista Agut (ESP)	7⁷	6
	Y-h Lu (TPE)	6	3	4		P Lorenzi (ITA)	6²	2
	P Lorenzi (ITA)	3	6	6						10	R Bautista Agut (ESP)	6	7⁷
	G Müller (LUX)	5	6	7¹²							G Müller (LUX)	4	6⁴
PR	J Janowicz (POL)	7	1	6¹⁰		G Müller (LUX)	6	6
	M Jaziri (TUN)	6	5	3	5	J-W Tsonga (FRA)	4	3
5	J-W Tsonga (FRA)	4	7	6

Section 2

First round					Second round					Third round				Quarterfinals

3	R Nadal (ESP)	6	6
	F Delbonis (ARG)	2	1		3	R Nadal (ESP)	6	6
	A Seppi (ITA)	6	3	7⁸		A Seppi (ITA)	3	3
	I Marchenko (UKR)	3	6	6⁶						3	R Nadal (ESP)	7⁷	6
PR	B Baker (USA)	7	5	4						15	G Simon (FRA)	6⁵	3
IP	Y Sugita (JPN)	5	7	6	IP	Y Sugita (JPN)	6³	2
	B Ćorić (CRO)	4	6¹		15	G Simon (FRA)	7⁷	6
15	G Simon (FRA)	6	7⁷											3	R Nadal (ESP)	2	6	6
11	P Cuevas (URU)	6	6⁸	6											T Bellucci (BRA)	6	4	2
	N Basilashvili (GEO)	3	7¹⁰	3	11	P Cuevas (URU)	2	6	3
	D Brown (GER)	6	4^r			T Bellucci (BRA)	6	4	6
	T Bellucci (BRA)	4	5								T Bellucci (BRA)	7¹²	6
	D Džumhur (BIH)	4	4							8	D Goffin (BEL)	6¹⁰	4
	D Sela (ISR)	6	6			D Sela (ISR)	3	3
IP	S Groth (AUS)	4	2		8	D Goffin (BEL)	6	6
8	D Goffin (BEL)	6	6

Bottom half

Section 3

First round					Second round				Third round					Quarterfinals

6	G Monfils (FRA)	6	6
	V Pospisil (CAN)	1	3		6	G Monfils (FRA)	6	6
	R Dutra Silva (BRA)	7⁷	6			R Dutra Silva (BRA)	2	4
IP	T Fabbiano (ITA)	6⁴	1						6	G Monfils (FRA)	6⁶	6	6
IP	R Albot (MDA)	4	6	6					9	M Čilić (CRO)	7⁸	3	4
	T Gabashvili (RUS)	6	4	4	IP	R Albot (MDA)	3	4
	G Dimitrov (BUL)	1	4		9	M Čilić (CRO)	6	6
9	M Čilić (CRO)	6	6											6	G Monfils (FRA)	6⁴	6	6⁶
13	P Kohlschreiber (GER)	4	6	6										4	K Nishikori (JPN)	7⁷	4	7⁸
	G Pella (ARG)	6	1	2	13	P Kohlschreiber (GER)
	D Kudla (USA)	0	3		IP	A Martin (SVK)	w/o
IP	A Martin (SVK)	6	6						IP	A Martin (SVK)	2	2
	R Berankis (LTU)	0	0						4	K Nishikori (JPN)	6	6
	J Millman (AUS)	6	6			J Millman (AUS)	6⁴	4
	A Ramos Viñolas (ESP)	2	4		4	K Nishikori (JPN)	7⁷	6
4	K Nishikori (JPN)	6	6

Section 4

First round					Second round					Third round					Quarterfinals

7	D Ferrer (ESP)	6	6
	D Istomin (UZB)	2	1		7	D Ferrer (ESP)	6	6¹	5
	E Donskoy (RUS)	6	6			E Donskoy (RUS)	3	7⁷	7
	J-L Struff (GER)	3	4								E Donskoy (RUS)	1	1
	G Elias (POR)	7⁷	7⁷							12	S Johnson (USA)	6	6
PR	T Kokkinakis (AUS)	6⁴	6³			G Elias (POR)	3	4
TRI	D King (BAR)	3	2		12	S Johnson (USA)	6	6
12	S Johnson (USA)	6	6												12	S Johnson (USA)	0	6	6²
16	B Paire (FRA)	3	6	6											2	A Murray (GBR)	6	4	7⁷
	L Rosol (CZE)	6	3	4	16	B Paire (FRA)	6	4	6⁵
	F Fognini (ITA)	2	7⁷	6		F Fognini (ITA)	4	6	7⁷
	V Estrella Burgos (DOM)	6	6⁴	0							F Fognini (ITA)	1	6	3
PR	J Mónaco (ARG)	6	6							2	A Murray (GBR)	6	2	6
TRI	M Bašić (BIH)	2	2		PR	J Mónaco (ARG)	3	1
	V Troicki (SRB)	3	2		2	A Murray (GBR)	6	6
2	A Murray (GBR)	6	6

References

^ "Andy Murray tops Juan Martin del Potro in four-hour four-setter to win second straight singles gold".
^ "Andy Murray beats Juan Martín del Potro to win second Olympic gold". Guardian. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
^ ^a ^b "Singles, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
^ "Novak Djokovic beaten by Juan Martín Del Potro in first round". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
^ "Seeds announced for Olympic Tennis Events". ITF. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
^ "Murray and Williams prepare to defend Olympic titles in Rio". ITF. 31 July 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.

External links

[1] "Andy Murray tops Juan Martin del Potro in four-hour four-setter to win second straight singles gold".

[2] "Andy Murray beats Juan Martín del Potro to win second Olympic gold". Guardian. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.

[Olympedia-3] "Singles, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 23 December 2020.

[4] "Novak Djokovic beaten by Juan Martín Del Potro in first round". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 August 2016.

[5] "Seeds announced for Olympic Tennis Events". ITF. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.

[rules-6] "Murray and Williams prepare to defend Olympic titles in Rio". ITF. 31 July 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

v t e Olympic tennis men's singles champions
Demonstration	1968: Manuel Santana (ESP) 1984: Stefan Edberg (SWE)
Indoor	1908: Arthur Gore (GBR) 1912: André Gobert (FRA)
Outdoor	1896: John Pius Boland (GBR) 1900: Laurence Doherty (GBR) 1904: Beals Wright (USA) 1908: Major Ritchie (GBR) 1912: Charles Winslow (RSA) 1920: Louis Raymond (RSA) 1924: Vincent Richards (USA) 1988: Miloslav Mečíř (TCH) 1992: Marc Rosset (SUI) 1996: Andre Agassi (USA) 2000: Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS) 2004: Nicolás Massú (CHI) 2008: Rafael Nadal (ESP) 2012: Andy Murray (GBR) 2016: Andy Murray (GBR) 2020: Alexander Zverev (GER) 2024: Novak Djokovic (SRB)

v t e 2016 ATP World Tour « 2015 2017 »
Grand Slam events	Australian Open (S, D, X) French Open (S, D, X) Wimbledon (S, D, X) US Open (S, D, X)
ATP World Tour Masters 1000	Indian Wells (S, D) Miami (S, D) Monte Carlo (S, D) Madrid (S, D) Rome (S, D) Montreal (S, D) Cincinnati (S, D) Shanghai (S, D) Paris (S, D)
ATP World Tour 500 series	Rotterdam (S, D) Rio (S, D) Dubai (S, D) Acapulco (S, D) Barcelona (S, D) London (S, D) Halle (S, D) Hamburg (S, D) Washington D.C. (S, D) Beijing (S, D) Tokyo (S, D) Vienna (S, D) Basel (S, D)
ATP World Tour 250 series	Brisbane (S, D) Chennai (S, D) Doha (S, D) Sydney (S, D) Auckland (S, D) Montpellier (S, D) Sofia (S, D) Quito (S, D) Buenos Aires (S, D) Memphis (S, D) Delray Beach (S, D) Marseille (S, D) São Paulo (S, D) Marrakesh (S, D) Houston (S, D) Bucharest (S, D) Munich (S, D) Estoril (S, D) Istanbul (S, D) Nice (S, D) Geneva (S, D) 's-Hertogenbosch (S, D) Stuttgart (S, D) Nottingham (S, D) Newport (S, D) Båstad (S, D) Umag (S, D) Gstaad (S, D) Kitzbühel (S, D) Atlanta (S, D) Winston-Salem (S, D) Metz (S, D) St. Petersburg (S, D) Shenzhen (S, D) Chengdu (S, D) Stockholm (S, D) Moscow (S, D) Antwerp (S, D)
Team events	Davis Cup World Group + play-offs Americas Asia/Oceania Europe/Africa
Summer Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro (S, D, X) ATP World Tour Finals, London (S, D)