# 1938 French Championships – Women's singles

First-seeded Simonne Mathieu defeated Nelly Adamson 6–0, 6–3 in the final to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1938 French Championships. Hilde Sperling was the three-time defending champion, but did not compete this year.

## Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Simonne Mathieu is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.
* Simonne Mathieu (champion)
* Nancye Wynne Bolton (third round)
* Sylvie Henrotin (quarterfinals)
* Valerie Scott (second round)
* Arlette Halff (semifinals)
* Nell Hall Hopman (third round)
* Madzy Rollin Couquerque (semifinals)
* Esther Hein-Mueller (second round)

## Draw
### Key

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

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Simonne Mathieu | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Dorothy Stevenson | 4 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Dorothy Stevenson | 4 | 0 | | 1 | Simonne Mathieu | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | Arlette Halff | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| | Suzanne Pannetier | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | Arlette Halff | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| 5 | Arlette Halff | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Arlette Halff | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | 1 | Simonne Mathieu | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Nelly Adamson | 0 | 3 |
| | Nelly Adamson | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | Nelly Adamson | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Sylvie Henrotin | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Sylvie Henrotin | 2 | 2 | | | Nelly Adamson | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | 7 | Madzy Rollin Couquerque | 2 | 4 | | | | |
| 7 | Madzy Rollin Couquerque | 6 | 6 | | 7 | Madzy Rollin Couquerque | 2 | 4 | | | | |
| | Jacqueline Goldschmidt | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |

### Earlier rounds
#### Section 1

| Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 1 | Mathieu | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Simon | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 1 | Mathieu | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | De St. Ferreol | | | | | | |
| | De St. Ferreol | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Behrens | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 1 | Mathieu | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Stevenson | 4 | 0 |
| 8 | Hein-Mueller | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Barbier | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Barbier | 3 | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Stevenson | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Stevenson | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Enger | 2 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | 4 | Scott | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Pannetier | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Pannetier | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Kovac | 1 | 4 | | | | | |
| | | | | | Iribarne | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Kovac | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pannetier | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Halff | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | 5 | Halff | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Coyne | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 5 | Halff | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| Varin | 1 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | Weiwers | 5 | 4 | | | | | |
| Weiwers | 6 | 0 | 6 | | Weiwers | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Belliard | 4 | 3 | | | Jarvis | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Jarvis | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 3

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| Adamson | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Horner | 5 | 4 | | | Adamson | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Saunders-Taylor | 4 | 6 | 6 | | Saunders-Taylor | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| Lebailly | 6 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | Adamson | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| Morel-Deville | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | 6 | Hopman | 4 | 1 | | | | |
| Andrus | 6 | 6 | | | Andrus | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | 6 | Hopman | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Adamson | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Henrotin | 2 | 2 |
| | | | | | Kleinadel | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Adamoff | 1 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Kleinadel | 2 | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 3 | Henrotin | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | Mellerio | 6 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | 3 | Henrotin | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 4

| Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | Row | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Whitmarsh | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Whitmarsh | 3 | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | 7 | Couquerque | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 7 | Couquerque | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | St. Omer Roy | 0 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 7 | Couquerque | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | Goldschmidt | 2 | 1 |
| | Goldschmidt | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Wyns-Speranza | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Goldschmidt | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | 2 | Wynne | 0 | 3 | | | | |
| | Forsell | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Wynne | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |