The 2021 Welsh Open (officially the 2021 BetVictor Welsh Open) was a professional snooker tournament that took place from 15 to 21 February 2021 at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales. It was the 10th ranking event of the 2020–21 snooker season and the 30th edition of the Welsh Open, first held in 1992. It was the fifth of six tournaments in the European Series and the fourth and final event of the Home Nations Series. The event was sponsored by sports betting company BetVictor, with the winner being awarded £70,000 from a total prize fund of £405,000.

Shaun Murphy was the defending champion, having won the 2020 event with a 9–1 victory over Kyren Wilson in the final. However, Murphy lost 5–4 to Stephen Maguire in the quarter-finals. Jordan Brown defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan 9–8 in the final to win the first ranking title of his career. Ranked 81st in the world, Brown became the lowest-ranked player to win a ranking event since world number 93 Dave Harold won the 1993 Asian Open.

The Welsh Open began as a ranking tournament in 1992. The 2021 tournament took place at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport between 15 and 21 February, the thirtieth edition of the event. It was the tenth World Snooker Tour ranking competition in the 2020-21 snooker season, following the Snooker Shoot Out and preceding the 2021 Players Championship. It was the fifth of six events in the BetVictor European Series and the fourth and final event of the Home Nations Series.

The defending Welsh Open champion from 2020 was Shaun Murphy who won the final with a 9–1 victory over Kyren Wilson. All matches were best-of-seven frames until the quarter-finals, which were the best-of-nine, the semi-finals the best-of-eleven. The final was played over two sessions, as the best-of-17 frames. The event was sponsored by sports betting company BetVictor, and broadcast locally by BBC Cymru Wales. It was also broadcast by Quest in the United Kingdom; Eurosport in Europe; CCTV5, Youku, Zhibo.tv and Migu in China; Now TV in Hong Kong; True Sport in Thailand; Sky Sports in New Zealand; DAZN in Canada; and Astrosport in Malaysia. In all other locations it was broadcast by Matchroom Sport.

The event's total prize fund was £405,000, with the winner receiving £70,000. The player accumulating the highest amount of prize money over the six events received a bonus of £150,000. The breakdown of prize money is shown below:

The first two rounds of the competition were played between 15 and 17 February, with rounds three and four on 18 February. Defending champion Shaun Murphy was 20th in the one year ranking event, and required to gain four places to play in the next event, the Players Championship. Murphy reached the last 16 with wins over Zak Surety, Stuart Carrington, Ryan Day and Stuart Bingham. World number one Judd Trump defeated Chinese players Zhao Jianbo and Si Jiahui but lost in the third round to Iranian player Hossein Vafaei 2–4.

Two-time winner Mark Williams defeated Michael White 4–1 in the first round, with an average shot time of only 15 seconds. Williams later commented that "I’m going to play as fast as I can and get in and out as quick as I can. I’m actually going to see if I can get one match down as quick as ten seconds a shot. That’s my goal for the rest of the season." Williams defeated Liam Highfield, Joe Perry and Vafaei to reach the quarter-finals. Mark Selby made a break of 134 in his opening round win over Barry Pinches, but missed the final pink ball when on route to a maximum break. Selby then defeated Jamie O'Neill, Joe O'Connor and Masters champion Yan Bingtao to reach the quarter-finals. Jordan Brown defeated Luo Honghao, Sam Craigie and Alexander Ursenbacher before beating Mark King 4–3 to reach his second ranking quarter-final of his career.

Ali Carter defeated Daniel Wells and Aaron Hill before beating both John Higgins and Mark Allen to reach the quarter-finals. Ronnie O'Sullivan lost only one frame in his first four matches to reach the quarter-finals, whitewashing three players. Eighth seed Stephen Maguire defeated two Welshmen in Dominic Dale and Matthew Stevens before beating Matthew Selt and Pang Junxu to reach the last eight.

The quarter-finals were played as the best-of-9 frames matches on 19 February. Ali Carter withdrew from the event shortly before his match against Ronnie O'Sullivan due to health concerns. The remaining three quarter-finals all went to a deciding frame. Murphy, the defending champion, was defeated 4–5 by Maguire. He made breaks of 105, 84, 55, 90 and 133 to defeat Murphy. In losing the match, Murphy was unable to qualify for the Players Championship, finishing 17th in the one-year rankings. Playing in the second ranking quarter-final of his career, Jordan Brown met Mark Selby. The match lasted three hours and 48 minutes and with the scores tied at 4–4, Selby missed the final black ball into the centre pocket, which Brown potted to win the match. Mark Williams defeated Tom Ford 5–4 in the final quarter-final match which decided which of the two players would qualify for the Players Championship.

The semi-finals were played as the best-of-11 frame matches on 20 February. Williams took the opening frame in his match against O'Sullivan, before his opponent won the next six successive frames. O'Sullivan commented "I knew he was playing well and scoring well. I had to be on my guard. I played pretty solidly." The other semi-final was played between Jordan Brown and Steven Maguire. Brown made a break of 135 in the opening frame, before Maguire tied the scores at 1–1. Brown then made breaks of 56, 113 and 59 winning the next five frames to take the match 6–1. Brown commented "Three years ago I was working in a petrol station and serving customers... To be in a ranking tournament final is just incredible".

The final was played as the best-of-17 frames held over two sessions. Brown was playing in his first ranking event final; whilst his opponent O'Sullivan was playing in his 56th. Brown took the first two frames of the match before O'Sullivan won frame three. Brown won frame four with a break of 78 and led 4–1 after a century break. The next two frames were won by O'Sullivan, however, Brown took the next frame to lead 5–3 after the first session. After the break, O'Sullivan won the next three frames to take the lead, but Brown leveled the match in frame 12 to 6–6, and level again at 7–7. In frame 15, O'Sullivan missed a pot on the pink ball and showed signs of frustration. Brown made a break of 56 to lead 8–7. The match was taken into a deciding frame after a break of 119 by O'Sullivan. Brown won the match 9–8 after a break of 74. Ranked 81st in the world, Brown became the lowest-ranked player to win a ranking event since world number 93 Dave Harold won the 1993 Asian Open. He also became the first Northern Irish player to win a Welsh Open title.

Below is the main draw for the event. Numbers in brackets denote seeded players. Players in bold denote match winners.

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	Shaun Murphy (ENG) (1)	4
	Zak Surety (ENG)	1
					Shaun Murphy (1)	4
					Stuart Carrington	1
	Stuart Carrington (ENG)	4
	Soheil Vahedi (IRN)	1
									Shaun Murphy (1)	4
									Ryan Day (32)	1
	Ryan Day (WAL) (32)	4
	Ian Burns (ENG)	3
					Ryan Day (32)	4
					Mark Davis	3
	Lee Walker (WAL)	1
	Mark Davis (ENG)	4
													Shaun Murphy (1)	4
													Barry Hawkins (17)	3
	Anthony McGill (SCO) (16)	4
	Louis Heathcote (ENG)	0
					Anthony McGill (16)	4
					David Lilley	0
	Andy Hicks (ENG)	3
	David Lilley (ENG)	4
									Anthony McGill (16)	3
									Barry Hawkins (17)	4
	Barry Hawkins (ENG) (17)	4
	Chris Wakelin (ENG)	1
					Barry Hawkins (17)	4
					Simon Lichtenberg	0
	Simon Lichtenberg (GER)	4
	Riley Parsons (ENG)	2

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	Li Hang (CHN)	0
	Martin O'Donnell (ENG)	4
					Martin O'Donnell	4
					Ken Doherty	0
	Kurt Maflin (NOR) (24)	w/d
	Ken Doherty (IRL)	w/o
									Martin O'Donnell	2
									Pang Junxu	4
	Allan Taylor (ENG)	0
	Pang Junxu (CHN)	4
					Pang Junxu	4
					Ding Junhui (9)	2
	Ding Junhui (CHN) (9)	4
	Lyu Haotian (CHN)	1
													Pang Junxu	2
													Stephen Maguire (8)	4
	Jamie Clarke (WAL)	0
	Oliver Lines (ENG)	4
					Oliver Lines	0
					Matthew Selt (25)	4
	Matthew Selt (ENG) (25)	4
	Lukas Kleckers (GER)	0
									Matthew Selt (25)	2
									Stephen Maguire (8)	4
	James Cahill (ENG)	0
	Matthew Stevens (WAL)	4
					Matthew Stevens	1
					Stephen Maguire (8)	4
	Stephen Maguire (SCO) (8)	4
	Dominic Dale (WAL)	1

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	Mark Selby (ENG) (5)	4
	Barry Pinches (ENG)	1
					Mark Selby (5)	4
					Jamie O'Neill	1
	Sean Maddocks (ENG)	3
	Jamie O'Neill (ENG)	4
									Mark Selby (5)	4
									Joe O'Connor	3
	Liang Wenbo (CHN) (28)	1
	Joe O'Connor (ENG)	4
					Joe O'Connor	4
					Andrew Higginson	1
	Eden Sharav (ISR)	2
	Andrew Higginson (ENG)	4
													Mark Selby (5)	4
													Yan Bingtao (12)	2
	Yan Bingtao (CHN) (12)	4
	Xu Si (CHN)	1
					Yan Bingtao (12)	4
					Brian Ochoiski	0
	Brian Ochoiski (FRA)	4
	Paul Davison (ENG)	1
									Yan Bingtao (12)	4
									Xiao Guodong	1
	Gary Wilson (ENG) (21)	4
	Ashley Hugill (ENG)	2
					Gary Wilson (21)	1
					Xiao Guodong	4
	Xiao Guodong (CHN)	4
	Iulian Boiko (UKR)	0

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	Jordan Brown (NIR)	4
	Luo Honghao (CHN)	0
					Jordan Brown	4
					Sam Craigie	3
	Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (THA) (20)	3
	Sam Craigie (ENG)	4
									Jordan Brown	4
									Alexander Ursenbacher	3
	Alexander Ursenbacher (SUI)	4
	Noppon Saengkham (THA)	1
					Alexander Ursenbacher	4
					Robert Milkins	3
	Stuart Bingham (ENG) (13)	2
	Robert Milkins (ENG)	4
													Jordan Brown	4
													Mark King	3
	Jak Jones (WAL)	4
	Fan Zhengyi (CHN)	3
					Jak Jones	4
					David Grace	2
	Michael Holt (ENG) (29)	0
	David Grace (ENG)	4
									Jak Jones	2
									Mark King	4
	Yuan Sijun (CHN)	1
	Jamie Jones (WAL)	4
					Jamie Jones	3
					Mark King	4
	Neil Robertson (AUS) (4)	w/d
	Mark King (ENG)	w/o

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	Judd Trump (ENG) (3)	4
	Zhao Jianbo (CHN)	2
					Judd Trump (3)	4
					Si Jiahui	2
	Si Jiahui (CHN)	4
	Brandon Sargeant (ENG)	2
									Judd Trump (3)	2
									Hossein Vafaei	4
	Zhao Xintong (CHN) (30)	4
	Luca Brecel (BEL)	2
					Zhao Xintong (30)	3
					Hossein Vafaei	4
	Peter Lines (ENG)	2
	Hossein Vafaei (IRN)	4
													Hossein Vafaei	2
													Mark Williams (14)	4
	Mark Williams (WAL) (14)	4
	Michael White (WAL)	1
					Mark Williams (14)	4
					Liam Highfield	1
	Jamie Curtis-Barrett (ENG)	3
	Liam Highfield (ENG)	4
									Mark Williams (14)	4
									Joe Perry (19)	2
	Joe Perry (ENG) (19)	4
	Chang Bingyu (CHN)	3
					Joe Perry (19)	4
					Dylan Emery	1
	Lu Ning (CHN)	3
	Dylan Emery (WAL)	4

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	Ricky Walden (ENG)	4
	Jackson Page (WAL)	1
					Ricky Walden	4
					Graeme Dott (22)	3
	Graeme Dott (SCO) (22)	4
	Billy Castle (ENG)	1
									Ricky Walden	2
									Jack Lisowski (11)	4
	Sunny Akani (THA)	4
	Igor Figueiredo (BRA)	1
					Sunny Akani	2
					Jack Lisowski (11)	4
	Jack Lisowski (ENG) (11)	4
	Lei Peifan (CHN)	3
													Jack Lisowski (11)	3
													Tom Ford (27)	4
	Elliot Slessor (ENG)	4
	Ben Fortey (WAL)	2
					Elliot Slessor	3
					Tom Ford (27)	4
	Tom Ford (ENG) (27)	4
	Peter Devlin (ENG)	0
									Tom Ford (27)	4
									Kyren Wilson (6)	3
	Tian Pengfei (CHN)	0
	Alan McManus (SCO)	4
					Alan McManus	2
					Kyren Wilson (6)	4
	Kyren Wilson (ENG) (6)	4
	Chen Zifan (CHN)	2

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	John Higgins (SCO) (7)	4
	Steven Hallworth (ENG)	1
					John Higgins (7)	4
					Ben Woollaston	3
	Ben Woollaston (ENG)	w/o
	Alex Borg (MLT)	w/d
									John Higgins (7)	3
									Ali Carter (26)	4
	Ali Carter (ENG) (26)	4
	Daniel Wells (WAL)	3
					Ali Carter (26)	4
					Aaron Hill	1
	Fergal O'Brien (IRL)	2
	Aaron Hill (IRL)	4
													Ali Carter (26)	4
													Mark Allen (10)	2
	Mark Allen (NIR) (10)	4
	Fraser Patrick (SCO)	2
					Mark Allen (10)	4
					Nigel Bond	2
	Nigel Bond (ENG)	4
	Rod Lawler (ENG)	2
									Mark Allen (10)	4
									Scott Donaldson (23)	3
	Scott Donaldson (SCO) (23)	4
	Gao Yang (CHN)	2
					Scott Donaldson (23)	4
					Gerard Greene	2
	Gerard Greene (NIR)	4
	Farakh Ajaib (PAK)	3

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	Anthony Hamilton (ENG)	4
	Ben Hancorn (ENG)	3
					Anthony Hamilton	0
					Zhou Yuelong (18)	4
	Zhou Yuelong (CHN) (18)	4
	Ashley Carty (ENG)	0
									Zhou Yuelong (18)	4
									David Gilbert (15)	2
	Jamie Wilson (ENG)	4
	Duane Jones (WAL)	3
					Jamie Wilson	0
					David Gilbert (15)	4
	David Gilbert (ENG) (15)	4
	Rory McLeod (JAM)	0
													Zhou Yuelong (18)	1
													Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)	4
	Jimmy Robertson (ENG)	4
	Kacper Filipiak (POL)	1
					Jimmy Robertson	0
					Martin Gould (31)	4
	Martin Gould (ENG) (31)	4
	Mitchell Mann (ENG)	0
									Martin Gould (31)	0
									Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)	4
	Mark Joyce (ENG)	w/d
	Jimmy White (ENG)	w/o
					Jimmy White	0
					Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)	4
	Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) (2)	4
	Robbie Williams (ENG)	0

	Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames				Semi-finals Best of 11 frames				Final Best of 17 frames
	Shaun Murphy (1)	4
	Stephen Maguire (8)	5
					Stephen Maguire (8)	4
					Jordan Brown	6
	Mark Selby (5)	4
	Jordan Brown	5
									Jordan Brown	9
									Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)	8
	Mark Williams (14)	5
	Tom Ford (27)	4
					Mark Williams (14)	1
					Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)	6
	Ali Carter (26)	w/d
	Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)	w/o

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Ben Williams Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, Wales, 21 February 2021
Jordan Brown  Northern Ireland	9–8	Ronnie O'Sullivan (2)  England
Afternoon: 59–28, 66–25, 0–75, 137–0, 107–0 (107), 0–135 (135), 14–121 (121), 67–36 Evening: 44–58, 0–68, 8–71, 68–43, 102–24, 0–64, 69–25, 0–119 (119), 74–1
107	Highest break	135
1	Century breaks	3

There were 72 century breaks made during the event. The highest was a 143 made by Zhao Xintong in frame three of his first round win over Luca Brecel.