# 1996 Australian Open – Women's singles

Monica Seles defeated Anke Huber in the final, 6–4, 6–1 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1996 Australian Open. It was her fourth Australian Open title and ninth and last major title overall, and her only major title after her 1993 stabbing.
Mary Pierce was the defending champion, but lost to Elena Likhovtseva in the second round.

## Seeds

* Monica Seles (champion)
* Conchita Martínez (quarterfinals)
* Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (quarterfinals)
* Mary Pierce (second round)
* Kimiko Date (second round)
* Gabriela Sabatini (fourth round)
* Iva Majoli (quarterfinals)
* Anke Huber (final)
* Mary Joe Fernández (fourth round)
* Lindsay Davenport (fourth round)
* Brenda Schultz-McCarthy (fourth round)
* Natasha Zvereva (first round)
* Chanda Rubin (semifinals)
* Amy Frazier (first round)
* Naoko Sawamatsu (fourth round)
* Amanda Coetzer (semifinals)

## 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

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Monica Seles | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Iva Majoli | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Iva Majoli | 1 | 2 | | 1 | Monica Seles | 6$^2$ | 6 | 7 | | | | |
| | | | | | 13 | Chanda Rubin | 7$^7$ | 1 | 5 | | | | |
| 3 | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 4 | 6 | 14 | 13 | Chanda Rubin | 7$^7$ | 1 | 5 | | | | |
| 13 | Chanda Rubin | 6 | 2 | 16 | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Chanda Rubin | 6 | 2 | 16 | | | | | | 1 | Monica Seles | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Anke Huber | 4 | 1 |
| | Martina Hingis | 5 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Anke Huber | 4 | 1 |
| 16 | Amanda Coetzer | 7 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Amanda Coetzer | 7 | 4 | 6 | 16 | Amanda Coetzer | 6 | 4 | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | | 8 | Anke Huber | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 8 | Anke Huber | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | Anke Huber | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 2 | Conchita Martínez | 6 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |

### Top half
#### Section 1

| First round | 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 | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| 1 | M Seles | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | J Lee | 3 | 0 | | 1 | M Seles | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | K Studeníková | 7 | 6 | | | K Studeníková | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | D Van Roost | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | 1 | M Seles | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| Q | F Lubiani | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | J Halard-Decugis | 5 | 0 | | | | |
| | N Bradtke | 2 | 6 | 4 | Q | F Lubiani | 2 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | J Halard-Decugis | 6 | 6 | | | J Halard-Decugis | 6 | 0 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| WC | J Taylor | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | M Seles | 6 | 6 |
| | R Zrubáková | 6 | 5 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 15 | N Sawamatsu | 1 | 3 |
| | A Sugiyama | 0 | 7 | 6 | | A Sugiyama | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Pitkowski | 4 | 6$^3$ | | Q | A Dechaume-Balleret | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | A Dechaume-Balleret | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | A Sugiyama | 4 | 0 | | | | |
| | J Husárová | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | 15 | N Sawamatsu | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | L Wild | 6 | 6 | | | L Wild | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Cristea | 6 | 2 | 1 | 15 | N Sawamatsu | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | N Sawamatsu | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | 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 | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| 12 | N Zvereva | 2 | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Smashnova | 6 | 4 | 7 | | A Smashnova | 7 | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | T Whitlinger-Jones | 6 | 6 | | | T Whitlinger-Jones | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | N Kijimuta | 3 | 0 | | | | | | | | T Whitlinger-Jones | 3 | 2 | | | | |
| | I Spîrlea | 6 | 6$^4$ | 8 | | | | | | | S Appelmans | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | S Testud | 4 | 7$^7$ | 6 | | I Spîrlea | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | N Baudone | 5 | 4 | | | S Appelmans | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Appelmans | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | S Appelmans | 2 | 2 |
| Q | J Watanabe | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | I Majoli | 6 | 6 |
| | M de Swardt | 4 | 3 | | Q | J Watanabe | 6$^5$ | 6$^5$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | P Shriver | 4 | 4 | | | A Fusai | 7$^7$ | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Fusai | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | A Fusai | 2 | 1 | | | | |
| WC | N Pratt | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | 7 | I Majoli | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | L McNeil | 7 | 6 | | | L McNeil | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | E Makarova | 4 | 2 | | 7 | I Majoli | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | I Majoli | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 3

| First round | 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 | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| 3 | A Sánchez Vicario | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Reinstadler | 2 | 2 | | 3 | A Sánchez Vicario | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Grossman | 3 | 2 | | | B Rittner | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Rittner | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 3 | A Sánchez Vicario | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | K Godridge | 4 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | S Cacic | 3 | 3 | | | | |
| WC | S Drake-Brockman | 6 | 4 | 6 | WC | S Drake-Brockman | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Cacic | 6 | 6 | | | S Cacic | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| | E Callens | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | A Sánchez Vicario | 6 | 6 |
| | N Arendt | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | MJ Fernández | 3 | 3 |
| WC | K Radford | 3 | 1 | | | N Arendt | 3 | 6 | 8 | | | | | | | | |
| | L Ghirardi-Rubbi | 3 | 4 | | | S Farina | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | S Farina | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | N Arendt | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| | V Martinek | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | 9 | MJ Fernández | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | M Sánchez Lorenzo | 6 | 6 | | | M Sánchez Lorenzo | 2 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | V Ruano Pascual | 4 | 3 | | 9 | MJ Fernández | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | MJ Fernández | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 4

| First round | 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 | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| 13 | C Rubin | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R McQuillan | 6 | 3 | 2 | 13 | C Rubin | 6$^3$ | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | T Križan | 6 | 2 | 6 | | T Križan | 7$^7$ | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | M McGrath | 2 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | 13 | C Rubin | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | L Courtois | 7$^7$ | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | L Courtois | 0 | 2 | | | | |
| | M Oremans | 6$^4$ | 6$^4$ | | | L Courtois | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Ellwood | 6 | 5 | 1 | | J Kruger | 3 | 6$^5$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Kruger | 4 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 13 | C Rubin | 6 | 6 |
| | K Kschwendt | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | G Sabatini | 2 | 4 |
| | P Begerow | 0 | 2 | | | K Kschwendt | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | N Miyagi | 6 | 7 | | | N Miyagi | 6 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | S Cecchini | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | | K Kschwendt | 1 | 2 | | | | |
| | I Demongeot | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | 6 | G Sabatini | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | K Habšudová | 6 | 6 | | | K Habšudová | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Stafford | 0 | 1 | | 6 | G Sabatini | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | G Sabatini | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half
#### Section 5

| First round | 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 | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| 5 | K Date | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Gavaldón | 2 | 0 | | 5 | K Date | 2 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Endo | 7$^8$ | 6 | | | M Endo | 6 | 1 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | K-A Guse | 6$^6$ | 4 | | | | | | | | M Endo | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| | J Nejedly | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | M Hingis | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | M Hingis | 6 | 6 | | | M Hingis | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Paulus | 6 | 6 | | | B Paulus | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | L Neiland | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | M Hingis | 6 | 6 |
| | N Feber | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | B Schultz-McCarthy | 1 | 4 |
| Q | S Jeyaseelan | 4 | 0 | | | N Feber | 2 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Serra Zanetti | 3 | 2 | | | K Boogert | 6 | 1 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | K Boogert | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | K Boogert | 6 | 1 | 4 | | | | |
| | A Temesvári | 6$^5$ | 1 | | | | | | | 11 | B Schultz-McCarthy | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | S-t Wang | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | S-t Wang | 4 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | P Hy-Boulais | 6 | 6$^3$ | 3 | 11 | B Schultz-McCarthy | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | B Schultz-McCarthy | 1 | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 6

| First round | 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 | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| 16 | A Coetzer | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Schnell | 2 | 2 | | 16 | A Coetzer | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Hack | 2 | 6 | 6 | | S Hack | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Y Basuki | 6 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | 16 | A Coetzer | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| Q | L Poruri | 6 | 6$^5$ | 6 | | | | | | Q | R Hiraki | 3 | 1 | | | | |
| | L Lee | 3 | 7$^7$ | 3 | Q | L Poruri | 3 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | MJ Gaidano | 6 | 3 | 2 | Q | R Hiraki | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| Q | R Hiraki | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 16 | A Coetzer | 6 | 6 |
| | L Raymond | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | E Likhovtseva | 3 | 3 |
| | R Grande | 6 | 6 | | | R Grande | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Tang | 6 | 4 | 2 | | S Meier | 4 | 6$^5$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Meier | 0 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | R Grande | 3 | 1 | | | | |
| | K Nagatsuka | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | E Likhovtseva | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | E Likhovtseva | 6 | 6 | | | E Likhovtseva | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | P Schwarz | 3 | 1 | | 4 | M Pierce | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | M Pierce | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 7

| First round | 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 | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| 8 | A Huber | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Kleinová | 1 | 4 | | 8 | A Huber | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Å Carlsson | 6 | 6 | | | Å Carlsson | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | K Sharpe | 2 | 0 | | | | | | | 8 | A Huber | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | M Strandlund | 5 | 6$^4$ | | | | | | | | L Richterová | 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| | D Randriantefy | 7 | 7$^7$ | | | D Randriantefy | 6$^4$ | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | L Richterová | 6 | 6 | | | L Richterová | 7$^7$ | 4 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | G Biggs | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | A Huber | 6 | 6 |
| | H Suková | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | B Schett | 3 | 2 |
| | J Wiesner | 4 | 0 | | | H Suková | 7$^7$ | 4 | 8 | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Grzybowska | 4 | 6 | 6 | | M Grzybowska | 6$^5$ | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | T Musgrave | 6 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | H Suková | 2 | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| | M Vento | 7$^7$ | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | B Schett | 6 | 5 | 8 | | | | |
| | S-h Park | 6$^2$ | 6 | 6 | | S-h Park | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Schett | 4 | 7 | 9 | | B Schett | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | A Frazier | 6 | 5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 8

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round | Fourth round |
| 10 | L Davenport | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Singer | 1 | 2 | | 10 | L Davenport | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | G Fernández | 3 | 4 | | | R Stubbs | 6$^5$ | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | R Stubbs | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 10 | L Davenport | 6 | 7 | | | | |
| | K Nowak | 3 | 0 | | | | | | | N Dahlman | 4 | 5 | | | | |
| | N Dahlman | 6 | 6 | | | N Dahlman | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | E deLone | 6 | 2 | 4 | | R Dragomir | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | R Dragomir | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | 10 | L Davenport | 3 | 1 |
| | Y Kamio | 2 | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | 2 | C Martínez | 6 | 6 |
| | F Li | 6 | 6$^4$ | 2 | | Y Kamio | 6$^3$ | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | T Ječmenica | 4 | 3 | | | J Kandarr | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | J Kandarr | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | J Kandarr | 3 | 0 | | | | |
| | J-Q Yi | 2 | 2 | | | | | | 2 | C Martínez | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | F Labat | 6 | 6 | | | F Labat | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| Q | C Wood | 4 | 1 | | 2 | C Martínez | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | C Martínez | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |