# 1888 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles

Henry Slocum defeated Howard Taylor in the all comers' final, 6–4, 6–1, 6–0 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1888 U.S. National Championships. Slocum won the Challenge Round automatically, as the seven-time defending champion Richard Sears had retired earlier that year. The event was held at the Newport Casino, R.I.

## Draw
### Challenge round

| Challenge Round | Challenge Round | Challenge Round | Challenge Round | Challenge Round | Challenge Round | Challenge Round |
| Richard Sears | Richard Sears | | | | | |
| Henry Slocum | Henry Slocum | w/o | | | | |

### All Comers' finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Henry Slocum | Henry Slocum | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| Oliver Campbell | Oliver Campbell | 2 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | |
| Oliver Campbell | Oliver Campbell | 2 | 3 | 4 | | Henry Slocum | Henry Slocum | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | Howard Taylor | Howard Taylor | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Philip Sears | Philip Sears | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | Howard Taylor | Howard Taylor | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Howard Taylor | Howard Taylor | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |

### Earlier rounds
#### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| H Slocum | H Slocum | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| WH Barnes | WH Barnes | 2 | 0 | 0 | | H Slocum | H Slocum | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| J Clark | J Clark | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | J Clark | J Clark | 2 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| FLV Hoppin | FLV Hoppin | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | H Slocum | H Slocum | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| J Dwight | J Dwight | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | J Dwight | J Dwight | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | |
| FW Taylor | FW Taylor | 0 | 1 | 2 | | J Dwight | J Dwight | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E Tuttle | E Tuttle | w/o | | | | E Tuttle | E Tuttle | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| CF Stickney | CF Stickney | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | H Slocum | H Slocum | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| CP Wilbur | CP Wilbur | 6 | 6 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | O Campbell | O Campbell | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| C Beatty | C Beatty | 3 | 3 | 7 | | CP Wilbur | CP Wilbur | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| O Campbell | O Campbell | 7 | 6 | 6 | | O Campbell | O Campbell | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| WD Waller | WD Waller | 5 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | O Campbell | O Campbell | 4 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 6 | | | | | |
| M Fielding | M Fielding | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | A Empie Wright | A Empie Wright | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 2 | | | | | |
| F Warren | F Warren | 1 | 2 | 3 | | M Fielding | M Fielding | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A Empie Wright | A Empie Wright | 6 | 6 | 6 | | A Empie Wright | A Empie Wright | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| J Brown | J Brown | 2 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| GW Lee | GW Lee | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| WR Weeden | WR Weeden | 4 | 5 | 2 | | | GW Lee | GW Lee | 6 | 0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| PS Sears | PS Sears | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | PS Sears | PS Sears | 8 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| WL Jennings | WL Jennings | 2 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | PS Sears | PS Sears | 8 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| J Ryerson | J Ryerson | 8 | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | J Ryerson | J Ryerson | 6 | 0 | 4 | | | | | | |
| A Hubbard | A Hubbard | 6 | 3 | 6 | 0 | | J Ryerson | J Ryerson | 6 | 6 | 3 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| B Lamb | B Lamb | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | B Lamb | B Lamb | 2 | 0 | 6 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A Rives | A Rives | 1 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | PS Sears | PS Sears | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| H Taylor | H Taylor | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | H Taylor | H Taylor | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| FA Kellogg | FA Kellogg | | | | | | H Taylor | H Taylor | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| RB Hale | RB Hale | w/o | | | | | RB Hale | RB Hale | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| GM Brinley | GM Brinley | | | | | | | | | | | | H Taylor | H Taylor | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | |
| P Presbry | P Presbry | 19 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | AL Williston | AL Williston | 2 | 3 | 5 | | | | | | |
| TS Tailer | TS Tailer | 21 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 4 | P Presbry | P Presbry | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| AL Williston | AL Williston | 6 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 6 | AL Williston | AL Williston | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| VG Hall | VG Hall | 4 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |