# 1988 New South Wales Open – Men's singles

Miloslav Mečíř was the defending champion, but did not compete this year.
John Fitzgerald won the title by defeating Andrei Chesnokov 6–3, 6–4 in the final.

## Seeds

* Christo van Rensburg (semifinals)
* Wally Masur (first round)
* Andrei Chesnokov (final)
* Peter Doohan (second round)
* John Fitzgerald (champion)
* Darren Cahill (quarterfinals)
* Joey Rive (semifinals)
* Tom Nijssen (first round)

## 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

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1/WC | Christo van Rensburg | 3 | 6 | | | | | |
| 3 | Andrei Chesnokov | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| 3 | Andrei Chesnokov | 6 | 7 | | 3 | Andrei Chesnokov | 3 | 4 |
| | | | | | 5 | John Fitzgerald | 6 | 6 |
| 5 | John Fitzgerald | 6 | 3 | 6 | 5 | John Fitzgerald | 6 | 6 |
| 7 | Joey Rive | 4 | 6 | 1 | | | | |

### Top half

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 1/WC | C van Rensburg | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| SE | J Anderson | 5 | 3 | | 1/WC | C van Rensburg | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Potier | 6 | 4 | | | S Youl | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Youl | 7 | 6 | | | | | | 1/WC | C van Rensburg | 6 | 4 | 7 | | | | |
| | A Volkov | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | A Volkov | 0 | 6 | 5 | | | | |
| | R Leach | 6 | 5 | | | A Volkov | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Narducci | 4 | 6 | 6 | | M Narducci | 1 | 0$^r$ | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | T Nijssen | 6 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | 1/WC | C van Rensburg | 3 | 6 |
| 3 | A Chesnokov | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | A Chesnokov | 6 | 7 |
| | D Visser | 3 | 3 | | 3 | A Chesnokov | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Pridham | 7 | 7 | | | C Pridham | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | T Mmoh | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 3 | A Chesnokov | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | A Castle | 6 | 7 | | | | | | 6 | D Cahill | 3 | 5 | | | | | |
| | R Saad | 2 | 6 | | | A Castle | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | P Chamberlin | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | D Cahill | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | D Cahill | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 5 | J Fitzgerald | 3 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | R Schmidt | 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 | J Fitzgerald | 3 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | E Edwards | 4 | 3 | | | R Smith | 6 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Smith | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 5 | J Fitzgerald | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| WC | T Woodbridge | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | B Moir | 0 | 1 | | | | | |
| | B Moir | 6 | 6 | | | B Moir | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | G Pozzi | 6 | 7 | 3 | 4 | P Doohan | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | P Doohan | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 5 | J Fitzgerald | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| 7 | J Rive | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | J Rive | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| | S Shaw | 6 | 6 | | 7 | J Rive | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | A Olhovskiy | 6 | 7 | | Q | A Olhovskiy | 2 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | H van Boeckel | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | 7 | J Rive | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| WC | J Stoltenberg | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | B Drewett | 4 | 2 | | | | | |
| | B Drewett | 6 | 7 | | | B Drewett | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Flur | 6 | 6 | | | M Flur | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | W Masur | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |