# 1988 European Open – Singles

Chris Evert was the defending champion but did not compete that year.
Barbara Paulus won in the final 6–4, 5–7, 6–1 against Lori McNeil.

## Seeds

A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.
* Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière (quarterfinals)
* Lori McNeil (final)
* Mary Joe Fernández (second round)
* Nathalie Tauziat (first round)
* Catarina Lindqvist (quarterfinals)
* Patricia Tarabini (first round)
* Neige Dias (second round)
* Brenda Schultz (second 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
| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | M Maleeva-Fragnière | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Cohen | 3 | 4 | | 1 | M Maleeva-Fragnière | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | E Krapl | 6 | 3 | | Q | L Lapi | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | L Lapi | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | 1 | M Maleeva-Fragnière | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | F Bonsignori | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | I Demongeot | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | D Van Rensburg | 6 | 6 | | | D Van Rensburg | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | I Demongeot | 7 | 6 | | | I Demongeot | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | P Tarabini | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | I Demongeot | 6 | 3 | 1 | | | | | |
| 4 | N Tauziat | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | B Paulus | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | G Miró | 7 | 6 | | | G Miró | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | I Budařová | 6 | 7 | | | I Budařová | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Wasserman | 1 | 5 | | | | | | | | I Budařová | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Paulus | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | B Paulus | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | K Schimper | 2 | 3 | | | B Paulus | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | A Vieira | 3 | 2 | | 7 | N Dias | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | N Dias | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Barbara Paulus | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| 5 | C Lindqvist | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Lori McNeil | 4 | 7 | 1 |
| | L Golarsa | 5 | 1 | | 5 | C Lindqvist | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Villagrán | 6 | 6 | | | A Villagrán | 1 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Devries | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | 5 | C Lindqvist | 2 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Pérez-Roldán | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | M Pérez-Roldán | 6 | 0 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | S Jaquet | 7 | 4 | 4 | | M Pérez-Roldán | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Lindström | 3 | 3 | | 3 | M J Fernández | 6 | r | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | M J Fernández | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | M Pérez-Roldán | 2 | 0 | r | | | | | |
| 8 | B Schultz | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | L McNeil | 6 | 3 | | | | | | |
| | C Porwik | 2 | 1 | | 8 | B Schultz | 4 | 7 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Paz | 6 | 6 | | | M Paz | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Martínez | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | M Paz | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | A Kanellopoulou | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | 2 | L McNeil | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | L Ferrando | 7 | 7 | | | L Ferrando | 4 | 7 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | H Witvoet | 3 | 3 | | 2 | L McNeil | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | L McNeil | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |