# 1956 Australian Championships – Men's singles

First-seeded Lew Hoad defeated Ken Rosewall 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 7–5 in the final to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1956 Australian Championships.

## Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Lew Hoad is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.
* Lew Hoad (champion)
* Ken Rosewall (finalist)
* Herbie Flam (semifinals)
* Gilbert Shea (quarterfinals)
* Ashley Cooper (quarterfinals)
* Neale Fraser (semifinals)
* Mervyn Rose (quarterfinals)
* Mal Anderson (quarterfinals)

## Draw
### Key

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

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Lew Hoad | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Mervyn Rose | 6 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Mervyn Rose | 6 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 1 | Lew Hoad | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | 6 | Neale Fraser | 3 | 2 | 0 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Neale Fraser | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | 6 | Neale Fraser | 3 | 2 | 0 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Gilbert Shea | 2 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Gilbert Shea | 2 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | 1 | Lew Hoad | 6 | 3 | 6 | 7 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| 3 | Herbie Flam | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| 5 | Ashley Cooper | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Ashley Cooper | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | 3 | Herbie Flam | 4 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Mal Anderson | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | | 2 | Ken Rosewall | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| 2 | Ken Rosewall | 6 | 6 | 5 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Earlier rounds
#### Section 1

| 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 | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 1 | Hoad | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Sheil | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | 1 | Hoad | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gilmour | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | Gilmour | 2 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stewart | 4 | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Hoad | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 | | | | | |
| 7 | Rose | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Rose | 6 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 7 | | | | | |
| | Collins | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | 7 | Rose | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark | 9 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 7 | | Mark | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Reyes | 7 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Hoad | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 6 | Fraser | 8 | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Fraser | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| | Jacques | 6 | 4 | 6 | 1 | | 6 | Fraser | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Phillips-Moore | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | Phillips-Moore | 6 | 0 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Green | 2 | 0 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Fraser | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| | Emerson | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Shea | 2 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | |
| | Dobbs | 1 | 2 | 4 | | | | Emerson | 3 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Shea | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 4 | Shea | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gibson | 4 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### 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 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 3 | Flam | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Moss | 0 | 1 | 0 | | | 3 | Flam | 1 | 8 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Candy | 6 | 6 | 8 | | | | Candy | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lovett | 2 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | 3 | Flam | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Newman | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | 5 | Cooper | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| | Flanders | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | | | Newman | 4 | 7 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Cooper | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | 5 | Cooper | 6 | 9 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Young | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Flam | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| | Bowman | 6 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Rosewall | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| | Laver | 4 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 3 | | Bowman | 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Anderson | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | 8 | Anderson | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Hearnden | 3 | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | 8 | Anderson | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Reid | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | 2 | Rosewall | 6 | 6 | 5 | 8 | | | | | |
| | Shepherd | 3 | 1 | 1 | | | | Reid | 1 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Rosewall | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | 2 | Rosewall | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Brant | 1 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |