Defending champion Andy Murray defeated David Ferrer in the final, 7–5, 6–4 to win the singles tennis title at the 2011 Shanghai Masters.
The top eight seeds receive a bye into the second round.
Rafael Nadal (third round)
Andy Murray (champion) David Ferrer (final)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (second round)
Mardy Fish (second round)
Tomáš Berdych (third round) Nicolás Almagro (third round) Gilles Simon (third round)
Janko Tipsarević (first round) Andy Roddick (quarterfinals) Viktor Troicki (first round)
Alexandr Dolgopolov (quarterfinals).svg/1280px-Flag_of_Switzerland_(Pantone).svg.png){kind=small}
Stanislas Wawrinka (third round)
Jürgen Melzer (second round)
Florian Mayer (quarterfinals) Fernando Verdasco (second round) Donald Young (qualified) Philipp Petzschner (qualifying competition)
Lu Yen-hsun (qualified) Albert Ramos (qualified) Ryan Harrison (qualified)
Flavio Cipolla (qualifying competition)
Paul Capdeville (first round)
Marsel İlhan (qualified)
Grega Žemlja (first round)
Go Soeda (first round)
Rik de Voest (qualifying competition)
Teymuraz Gabashvili (qualifying competition) Simone Bolelli (qualifying competition).svg/1280px-Flag_of_Australia_(converted).svg.png){kind=small}
Matthew Ebden (qualified)