Defending champion Jan Kodeš defeated Ilie Năstase in the final, 8–6, 6–2, 2–6, 7–5 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1971 French Open.^[1] It was his second major singles title.

The seeded players are listed below. Jan Kodeš is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.

^[2]

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild card
• LL = Lucky loser
• r = Retired

	Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Final
	2	Arthur Ashe	4	6	3	6	6
		Frank Froehling	6	4	6	3	8
											Frank Froehling	0	6	4	3
										3	Ilie Năstase	6	2	6	6
	3	Ilie Năstase	6	6	3	6
	6	Stan Smith	1	3	6	4
																			3	Ilie Năstase	6	2	6	5
																			1	Jan Kodeš	8	6	2	7
	5	Željko Franulović	6	6	4	6
		István Gulyás	3	2	6	2
										5	Željko Franulović	4	2	5
										1	Jan Kodeš	6	6	7
		Patrick Proisy	4	6	6	1
	1	Jan Kodeš	6	8	1	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	2	A Ashe	6	6	5	6
		G Varga	2	1	7	1				2	A Ashe	3	6	6	7
	Q	R Machán	4	6	6	4	6				V Egorov	6	4	0	5
		V Egorov	6	1	3	6	8												2	A Ashe	6	6	7
		P Hombergen	6	6	6															J-L Rouyer	2	3	5
		B Bertram	2	2	3						P Hombergen	2	4	5
		J-L Rouyer	6	2	6	7	6				J-L Rouyer	6	6	7
	Q	S Koudelka	1	6	1	9	4																					2	A Ashe	6	6	7
	15	G Goven	6	6	6																							15	G Goven	4	4	5
	Q	S Ball	1	1	1					15	G Goven	5	6	6	7
		D Contet	3	6	2	6	6				D Contet	7	3	2	5
		I Fletcher	6	3	6	4	4												15	G Goven	6	6	3	6
		P Pokorny	6	6	1	6														N Pietrangeli	4	4	6	1
		P van Min	3	3	6	1					P Pokorny	4	6	2	3
		C Pasarell	0	6	2						N Pietrangeli	6	2	6	6
		N Pietrangeli	6	8	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	7	M Riessen	7	6	6
		S Palmieri	5	1	1					7	M Riessen	0	6	5	6	6
		R Moore	5	3	6						J Alexander	6	4	7	4	3
		J Alexander	7	6	8														7	M Riessen	3	6	6	13
		B Montrenaud	9	6	4	3	7													J-C Barclay	6	1	3	11
		P Lamp	7	0	6	6	5				R Montrenaud	1	7	0
		D Sturdza	0	1	2						J-C Barclay	6	9	6
		J-C Barclay	6	6	6																							7	M Riessen	6	6	3	4	2
	10	R Taylor	8	2	3	7																							F Froehling	1	2	6	6	6
		J Cooper	6	6	6	5r					J Cooper	2	2	3
	Q	R Kuhlmey	4	3	3						F Froehling	6	6	6
		F Froehling	6	6	6															F Froehling	4	6	8	7
		J Leschly	7	2	6	6														J Leschly	6	3	6	5
		F Bartoni	5	6	4	3					J Leschly	3
		M Rybarczyk	w/o								J L Arilla	2r
		J L Arilla

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	3	I Năstase	6	6	6
		T Koch	2	2	4					3	I Năstase	6	6	3	6
	Q	H Sepp	1	6	7	0	0				S Baranyi	1	3	6	1
		S Baranyi	6	4	5	6	6												3	I Năstase	4	6	6	6
		J Mandarino	4	8	5															R Ruffels	6	2	2	2
		R Case	6	10	7						R Case	1	1	0
		R Ruffels	6	6	6						R Ruffels	6	6	6
		P Rodríguez	0	4	2																							3	I Năstase	6	6	3	7
	14	N Pilić	w/o																										T Nowicki	1	1	6	5
		F McMillan									F McMillan	6	6	6
		B Fairlie	10	6	6						B Fairlie	2	2	2
		J Paish	8	0	3															F McMillan	6	1	6	2
		V Korotkov	1	6	6	6														T Nowicki	3	6	8	6
		A Stone	6	1	3	3					V Korotkov	3	4	3
		T Nowicki	6	6	6						T Nowicki	6	6	6
		J McManus	3	0	2

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	6	S Smith	6	6	8
		N Kalogeropoulos	3	2	6					6	S Smith	6	6	6
		J Guerrero	6	6	6						J Guerrero	4	1	1
		B Freer	0	3	2														6	S Smith	6	6	6
		G Stilwell	6	3	6	6														G Stilwell	1	1	3
	Q	C Barazzutti	4	6	3	0					G Stilwell	7	12	6
	Q	B Paul	6	6	5	6	3				T Sakai	5	10	4
		T Sakai	3	2	7	8	6																					6	S Smith	6	2	8	6
	11	M Orantes	w/o																										P Dominguez	4	6	6	2
	Q	T Kakoulia								Q	T Kakoulia	6	4	2	7
		F Sedgman	3	1	4						P Dominguez	1	6	6	9
		P Dominguez	6	6	6															P Dominguez	6	8	3	4	9
		A Panatta	6	6	7															A Panatta	4	6	6	6	7
		S Matthews	3	3	5						A Panatta	6	6	6
	Q	W N'Godrella	6	4	6	7				Q	W N'Godrella	2	4	1
		H Kary	3	6	4	5

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		T Ryan	6	2	6	6
		E Drossart	2	6	4	2					T Ryan	7	6	6
	Q	E Zuleta								Q	E Zuleta	5	3	3
		P Guzmán	w/o																	T Ryan	7	1	2
		J Mukherjea	w/o																12	P Barthès	9	6	6
		D Crealy									D Crealy	2	1	4
		V Zednik	4	6	3	1				12	P Barthès	6	6	6
	12	P Barthès	6	3	6	6																						12	P Barthès	4	6	6	2	4
		J-P Meyer	4	8	6	2																						5	Z Franulović	6	4	4	6	6
		B Jovanović	6	6	2	0r					J-P Meyer	12	2	2	1
		T Gorman	2	2	8	6	6				T Gorman	10	6	6	6
		A Pattison	6	6	6	3	4													T Gorman	3	1	5
		J Clifton	4	4	4														5	Z Franulović	6	6	7
		A Muñoz	6	6	6						A Muñoz	2	3	3
		P Cramer	2	2	6	8				5	Z Franulović	6	6	6
	5	Z Franulović	6	6	2	10

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		I Gulyás	4	7	11	6
		J Gisbert Sr	6	5	9	2					I Gulyás	6	6	6
		N Špear	6	7	6						N Špear	0	3	0
	Q	V Franchitti	2	5	3															I Gulyás	6	6	6
		B Phillips-Moore	6	6	3	3	6													W Bowrey	2	2	2
		P Cornejo	1	4	6	6	1				B Phillips-Moore	1	3	6	6	6
		W Bowrey	6	6	8						W Bowrey	6	6	3	1	8
	13	I Țiriac	3	2	6																								I Gulyás	6	7	4	6
	Q	P Joly	1	4	1																							4	C Richey	4	5	6	2
		C Dibley	6	6	6						C Dibley	6	6	7
		M Leclercq	6	7	6						M Leclercq	1	3	5
	Q	W Álvarez	4	5	4															C Dibley	1	3	6
		T Addison	6	4	6	7													4	C Richey	6	6	8
		P Szőke	1	6	0	5					T Addison	1	2	0
		M Di Domenico	2	4	2					4	C Richey	6	6	6
	4	C Richey	6	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		P Marmureanu	6	4	6	4	8
		R Maud	4	6	2	6	6				P Marmureanu	0	3	4
		J Kuki	6	6	11						J Kuki	6	6	6
		P Dent	0	3	9															J Kuki	1	7	7	4	4
		G Battrick	6	6	0	6	7												9	R Lutz	6	5	5	6	6
		F Pála	3	8	6	2	5				G Battrick	6	1	6	2	2
		J Hřebec	2	4	1					9	R Lutz	4	6	1	6	6
	9	B Lutz	6	6	6																							9	R Lutz	4	7	5
		J Velasco Sr.	7	6	6																								P Proisy	6	9	7
		D Lloyd	5	2	3						J Velasco Sr.	8	4	6	1	4
		J Pinto-Bravo	4	6	6	6					J Pinto-Bravo	6	6	3	6	5r
		E Di Matteo	6	2	1	2														J Pinto-Bravo	1	0	3
		T Leius	2	4	1															P Proisy	6	6	6
		P Proisy	6	6	6						P Proisy	6	6	7
	Q	T Zugarelli	1	2	5					8	A Metreveli	4	4	5
	8	A Metreveli	6	6	7

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		A Wijono	3	1	1
		F Jauffret	6	6	6						F Jauffret	4	6	6	6
	Q	Z Ivančić	4	3	3						M Holeček	6	4	3	1
		M Holeček	6	6	6															F Jauffret	6	7	6
	Q	I Molina	4	4	6	8	3													J-B Chanfreau	3	5	1
		J-B Chanfreau	6	6	2	6	6				J-B Chanfreau	6	6	6
		A Volkov	6	9	6						A Volkov	3	4	2
	16	J Fillol Sr.	3	7	3																								F Jauffret	6	2	7	0	4
		B Carmichael	6	6	6																							1	J Kodeš	4	6	5	6	6
		P Beust	2	0	1						B Carmichael	6	4	6	6
		G Masters	6	6	6						G Masters	2	6	3	2
		O Parun	4	2	2															B Carmichael	4	7	2
		J-P Courcol	6	4	6	6													1	J Kodeš	6	9	6
	LL	S Mureşan	3	6	3	3					J-P Courcol	3	0	5
		W Gasiorek	1	1	3					1	J Kodeš	6	6	7
	1	J Kodeš	6	6	6

• Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) – 1971 French Open Men's Singles draw
• 1971 French Open – Men's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation