South Africa had nearly had both finalists again, as it had in 1912, but defending champion Charles Winslow fell to Japan's Ichiya Kumagae in the semifinal; Winslow took bronze by walkover against Noel Turnbull of Great Britain.

The Olympic tennis tournament was no longer scheduled adjacent to or concurrent with Wimbledon, as it had been in 1908 and 1912; however, it was at the same time as the U.S. Championship this year.

[1] Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Japan, Spain, and Switzerland each made their debut in the event.

France made its fifth appearance, most among all nations, having missed only the St. Louis 1904 event.

At one point the ballboys, bored by the long rallying, left the court and went to lunch, forcing the match to stop until they returned.