# 1996 US Open – Women's singles qualifying

Players who neither had high enough rankings nor received wild cards to enter the main draw of the annual US Open Tennis Championships participated in a qualifying tournament held over several days before the event.

## Seeds

* Stephanie Devillé (qualified)
* Rene Simpson (first round)
* Aleksandra Olsza (qualified)
* Kerry-Anne Guse (second round)
* Adriana Gerši (first round)
* Adriana Serra Zanetti (qualified)
* Bettina Fulco (second round)
* Anna Smashnova (first round)
* Radka Zrubáková (qualified)
* Anna Kournikova (qualified)
* Annabel Ellwood (qualifying competition, lucky loser)
* Tina Križan (qualifying competition, lucky loser)
* Olga Lugina (first round)
* Mercedes Paz (second round)
* Noëlle van Lottum (second round)
* Anne Kremer (first round)

## Qualifiers

* Stephanie Devillé
* Anna Kournikova
* Laxmi Poruri
* Adriana Serra Zanetti
* Angélica Gavaldón
* Aleksandra Olsza
* Radka Zrubáková
* María José Gaidano

## Lucky losers

* Tina Križan
* Annabel Ellwood

## Qualifying draw
### Key

* Q = Qualifier
* WC = Wild card
* LL = Lucky loser
* Alt = Alternate
* SE = Special exempt
* PR = Protected ranking
* ITF = ITF entry
* JE = Junior exempt
* w/o = Walkover
* r = Retired
* d = Defaulted
* SR = Special ranking

### First qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 1 | Stephanie Devillé | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Yuka Yoshida | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Yuka Yoshida | 1 | 0 | 1 | Stephanie Devillé | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Laura Golarsa | 4 | 1 | | | | | | |
| | Laura Golarsa | 6 | 6 | | Laura Golarsa | 4 | 1 | | | | | | |
| | Marketa Kochta | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Marketa Kochta | 0 | 1 | | | | | | 1 | Stephanie Devillé | 2 | 6 | 7$^7$ |
| | | | | | | | | | | Rachel McQuillan | 6 | 2 | 6$^4$ |
| | Rachel McQuillan | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | Rachel McQuillan | 6 | 2 | 6$^4$ |
| | Janet Lee | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Janet Lee | 4 | 3 | | Rachel McQuillan | 6 | 1 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | 15 | Noëlle van Lottum | 3 | 6 | 1 | | | | | |
| WC | Melissa Zimpfer | 0 | 0 | 15 | Noëlle van Lottum | 3 | 6 | 1 | | | | | |
| 15 | Noëlle van Lottum | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Second qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 10 | Anna Kournikova | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jana Nejedly | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jana Nejedly | 1 | 2 | 10 | Anna Kournikova | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | Virág Csurgó | 6$^1$ | 3 | | | | | |
| | Katarzyna Nowak | 4 | 4 | | Virág Csurgó | 6$^1$ | 3 | | | | | |
| | Virág Csurgó | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Virág Csurgó | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 10 | Anna Kournikova | 6 | 7$^7$ |
| | | | | | | | | | | Christína Papadáki | 2 | 6$^2$ |
| | Christína Papadáki | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | Christína Papadáki | 2 | 6$^2$ |
| | Lea Ghirardi | 6$^1$ | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lea Ghirardi | 6$^1$ | 2 | | Christína Papadáki | 3 | 7$^7$ | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | | Seda Noorlander | 6 | 6$^1$ | 2$^r$ | | | | |
| | Seda Noorlander | 6 | 6 | | Seda Noorlander | 6 | 6$^1$ | 2$^r$ | | | | |
| 8 | Anna Smashnova | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |

### Third qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 4 | Kerry-Anne Guse | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Julia Lutrova | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Julia Lutrova | 2 | 3 | | 4 | Kerry-Anne Guse | 1 | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Laxmi Poruri | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Laxmi Poruri | 6 | 6 | | | Laxmi Poruri | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Clare Wood | 3 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Clare Wood | 3 | 0 | | | | | | Laxmi Poruri | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | Nino Louarsabishvili | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| | Nino Louarsabishvili | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | Nino Louarsabishvili | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| | Nicole Pratt | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Nicole Pratt | 2 | 4 | | | Nino Louarsabishvili | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | 14 | Mercedes Paz | 5 | 0 | | | | |
| WC | Samantha Reeves | 7 | 2 | 2 | 14 | Mercedes Paz | 5 | 0 | | | | |
| 14 | Mercedes Paz | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |

### Fourth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 11 | Annabel Ellwood | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Caroline Dhenin | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Caroline Dhenin | 1 | 0 | | 11 | Annabel Ellwood | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | María Vento | 4 | 2 | | | | | | |
| | María Vento | 6 | 6 | | | María Vento | 4 | 2 | | | | | | |
| | Katalin Marosi | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Katalin Marosi | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | 11 | Annabel Ellwood | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Adriana Serra Zanetti | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| | Erika deLone | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Adriana Serra Zanetti | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| | Rachel Viollet | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Rachel Viollet | 3 | 1 | | | Erika deLone | 6 | 2 | 6$^2$ | | | | | |
| | | | | | 6 | Adriana Serra Zanetti | 4 | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | |
| | Sonya Jeyaseelan | 3 | 6 | 4 | 6 | Adriana Serra Zanetti | 4 | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | |
| 6 | Adriana Serra Zanetti | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Fifth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 5 | Adriana Gerši | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | Petra Gáspár | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Petra Gáspár | 6 | 6 | | Petra Gáspár | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | Elena Brioukhovets | 3 | 3 | | | | |
| | Amélie Cocheteux | 3 | 7$^7$ | 2 | Elena Brioukhovets | 3 | 3 | | | | |
| | Elena Brioukhovets | 6 | 6$^4$ | 6 | | | | | | | |
| | Elena Brioukhovets | 6 | 6$^4$ | 6 | | | | Petra Gáspár | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | Angélica Gavaldón | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| | Andrea Temesvári | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | Angélica Gavaldón | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| | Elena Tatarkova | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Elena Tatarkova | 6 | 6 | | Elena Tatarkova | 1 | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | | Angélica Gavaldón | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Angélica Gavaldón | 6 | 6 | | Angélica Gavaldón | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 16 | Anne Kremer | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | |

### Sixth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 12 | Tina Križan | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lenka Cenková | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lenka Cenková | 4 | 4 | | 12 | Tina Križan | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Maria Strandlund | 5 | 2 | | | | |
| | Maria Strandlund | 6 | 6 | | | Maria Strandlund | 5 | 2 | | | | |
| WC | Kelly Pace | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | Kelly Pace | 4 | 4 | | | | | | 12 | Tina Križan | 1 | 5 |
| | | | | | | | | | 3 | Aleksandra Olsza | 6 | 7 |
| | Kristine Kunce | 0 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | 3 | Aleksandra Olsza | 6 | 7 |
| | Lenka Němečková | 6 | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | Lenka Němečková | 6 | 4 | 2 | | Kristine Kunce | 4 | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | | 3 | Aleksandra Olsza | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| WC | Christine Neuman | 1 | 4 | | 3 | Aleksandra Olsza | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 3 | Aleksandra Olsza | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |

### Seventh qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 7 | Bettina Fulco | 6 | 4 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | Jeri Ingram | 2 | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | Jeri Ingram | 2 | 6 | 5 | 7 | Bettina Fulco | 1 | 3 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Maureen Drake | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Maureen Drake | 6 | 6 | | | Maureen Drake | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Denisa Krajčovičová | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Denisa Krajčovičová | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | Maureen Drake | 2 | 6 | 5 |
| | | | | | | | | | 9 | Radka Zrubáková | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| | Olga Barabanschikova | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | Radka Zrubáková | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| WC | Mashona Washington | 4 | 6$^2$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | Mashona Washington | 4 | 6$^2$ | | | Olga Barabanschikova | 4 | 4 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 9 | Radka Zrubáková | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| WC | Stephanie Mabry | 3 | 4 | | 9 | Radka Zrubáková | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| 9 | Radka Zrubáková | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Eighth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 13 | Olga Lugina | 3 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Miho Saeki | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Miho Saeki | 6 | 6 | | | Miho Saeki | 6 | 6$^4$ | 7 | | | |
| | | | | | WC | Tara Snyder | 0 | 7$^7$ | 5 | | | |
| WC | Tara Snyder | 6 | 7 | | WC | Tara Snyder | 0 | 7$^7$ | 5 | | | |
| | Karin Miller | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Karin Miller | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | Miho Saeki | 6$^3$ | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | | María José Gaidano | 7$^7$ | 6 |
| | María José Gaidano | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | María José Gaidano | 7$^7$ | 6 |
| | Paula Hermida | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Paula Hermida | 4 | 4 | | | María José Gaidano | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Meilen Tu | 2 | 4 | | | | |
| | Meilen Tu | 3 | 6 | 6 | | Meilen Tu | 2 | 4 | | | | |
| 2 | Rene Simpson | 6 | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | |