# 1956 French Championships – Women's singles

Althea Gibson defeated Angela Mortimer in the final, 6–0, 12–10 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1956 French Championships. It was her first Grand Slam tournament title, and Gibson became the first African American to win a Grand Slam tournament.

## Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Althea Gibson is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.
* Angela Mortimer (finalist)
* Dorothy Knode (third round)
* Althea Gibson (champion)
* Mary Hawton (first round)
* Zsuzsi Körmöczy (semifinals)
* Shirley Bloomer (quarterfinals)
* Christiane Mercelis (second round)
* Barbara Davidson (second round)
* Suzanne Le Besnerais (third round)
* Edda Buding (quarterfinals)
* Thelma Long (third round)
* Darlene Hard (third round)
* Annalissa Bellani (third round)
* Ginette Bucaille (third round)
* Angela Buxton (semifinals)
* Myrtil Dubois (third round)

## Draw
### Key

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

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Angela Mortimer | 6 | 4 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jenny Hoad | 0 | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jenny Hoad | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | Angela Mortimer | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | Zsuzsi Körmöczy | 4 | 3 | | | | | |
| | Ilse Buding | 1 | 1 | | 5 | Zsuzsi Körmöczy | 4 | 3 | | | | | |
| 5 | Zsuzsi Körmöczy | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Zsuzsi Körmöczy | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 1 | Angela Mortimer | 0 | 10 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Althea Gibson | 6 | 12 |
| 6 | Shirley Bloomer | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Althea Gibson | 6 | 12 |
| 3 | Althea Gibson | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Althea Gibson | 6 | 6 | | 3 | Althea Gibson | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | 15 | Angela Buxton | 6 | 0 | 4 | | | | |
| 10 | Edda Buding | 6 | 2 | | 15 | Angela Buxton | 6 | 0 | 4 | | | | |
| 15 | Angela Buxton | 8 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Earlier rounds
#### 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 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | 1 | Mortimer | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Salvet | 5 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Mortimer | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 16 | Dubois | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Pouchain | 4 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 16 | Dubois | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Mortimer | 6 | 4 | 7 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Hoad | 0 | 6 | 5 |
| | | | | | 8 | Davidson | 6 | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Hoad | 6 | 6 | | | Hoad | 1 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Amouretti | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | Hoad | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Le Besnerais | | | | | | | | | 9 | Le Besnerais | | | | | | | |
| | Ramorino | | | | 9 | Le Besnerais | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Hopman | 6 | 5 | 3 | | Alhert | 1 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Alhert | 3 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| 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 | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | Hawton | 6 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lemal | 1 | 6 | 6 | | Lemal | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Buding | 6 | 6 | | | Buding | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Walter | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | Buding | 1 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Bouchet | 4 | 4 | | | | | | 13 | Bellani | 6 | 3 | 2 | | | | |
| | O'Donnell | 6 | 6 | | | O'Donnell | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Bellani | 6 | 6 | | 13 | Bellani | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Launay | 0 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | Buding | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | Körmöczy | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Körmöczy | 6 | 6 |
| | Varin | 1 | 1 | | 5 | Körmöczy | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Coessens | 3 | 4 | | | Monnot | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Monnot | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 5 | Körmöczy | 4 | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| | Kermina | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | 12 | Hard | 6 | 5 | 3 | | | | |
| | Trauttmann | 0 | 8 | 2 | | Kermina | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Hard | 6 | 5 | 6 | 12 | Hard | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Metzner | 0 | 7 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### 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 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | Trancart | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Long | 6 | 6 | | 11 | Long | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Migliori | 3 | 6 | 6 | | Migliori | 5 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Wienese | 6 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | 11 | Long | 3 | 5 | | | | |
| | Bourbonnais | 8 | 3 | 7 | | | | | | 6 | Bloomer | 6 | 7 | | | | |
| | Nenot | 6 | 6 | 5 | | Bourbonnais | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Isaac | 1 | 3 | | 6 | Bloomer | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Bloomer | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Bloomer | 2 | 1 |
| 14 | Bucaille | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Gibson | 6 | 6 |
| | Barril | 6 | 2 | 2 | 14 | Bucaille | 0 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Dittmeyer | 3 | 6 | 4 | | Forbes | 6 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | Forbes | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | 14 | Bucaille | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| | Puzejova | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 3 | Gibson | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Galtier | 1 | 3 | | | Puzejova | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gimault | 1 | 1 | | 3 | Gibson | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Gibson | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 4

| 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 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | De Chambure | 3 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Seeney | 6 | 6 | | Seeney | 6 | 7 | 9 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Seghers | 6 | 6 | | Seghers | 8 | 5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Crowet | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | Seeney | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| 10 | Buding | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 10 | Buding | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Wavre | 1 | 4 | 10 | Buding | 6 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | De La Courtie | 4 | 2 | 7 | Mercelis | 4 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Mercelis | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | Buding | 6 | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 | Buxton | 8 | 6 |
| | | | | 15 | Buxton | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Muller | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 15 | Buxton | 4 | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 2 | Knode | 6 | 5 | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | Coste | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | 2 | Knode | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |