# 1940 Australian Championships – Women's singles

First-seeded Nancye Wynne defeated Thelma Coyne 5–7, 6–4, 6–0 in the final to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1940 Australian Championships.

## Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Nancye Wynne is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.
* Nancye Wynne (champion)
* Thelma Coyne (finalist)
* Nell Hopman (semifinals)
* May Hardcastle (quarterfinals)
* Joan Hartigan (semifinals)
* Alison Hattersley (quarterfinals)
* Gwen O'Halloran (quarterfinals)
* Constance Coate (quarterfinals)

## Draw
### Key

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

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 2 | Thelma Coyne | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Constance Coate | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Constance Coate | 1 | 3 | 2 | Thelma Coyne | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | 3 | Nell Hopman | 4 | 6 | 3 | | | | | |
| 3 | Nell Hopman | 6 | 6 | 3 | Nell Hopman | 4 | 6 | 3 | | | | | |
| 6 | Alison Hattersley | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Alison Hattersley | 3 | 4 | | | | | | 2 | Thelma Coyne | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| | | | | | | | | | 1 | Nancye Wynne | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| 5 | Joan Hartigan | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Nancye Wynne | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | May Hardcastle | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | May Hardcastle | 2 | 3 | 5 | Joan Hartigan | 0 | 6 | 1 | | | | | |
| | | | | 1 | Nancye Wynne | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | |
| 7 | Gwen O'Halloran | 0 | 3 | 1 | Nancye Wynne | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | |
| 1 | Nancye Wynne | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Earlier rounds
#### Section 1

| 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 |
| | | | | 2 | Coyne | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Burke | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 2 | Coyne | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 8 | Coate | 1 | 3 | | | | | |
| | | | | 8 | Coate | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Lack | 2 | 8 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Coyne | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Hopman | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| | | | | 3 | Hopman | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Rice | n/a | | | Clark | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Turner | | | | | | | | 3 | Hopman | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| 6 | Hattersley | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 6 | Hattersley | 3 | 4 | | | | | |
| | Chapman | 1 | 2 | 6 | Hattersley | 6 | 4 | 8 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Niemeyer | 6 | 6 | | Niemeyer | 1 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gosbell | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| | | | | 5 | Hartigan | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Brooker | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 5 | Hartigan | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | 4 | Hardcastle | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| | | | | 4 | Hardcastle | 6 | 18 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Lewin | 2 | 16 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Hartigan | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Wynne | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| | | | | | Stebbing | 1 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | O'Halloran | 6 | 6 | 7 | O'Halloran | 6 | 9 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Manzie | 0 | 0 | | | | | 7 | O'Halloran | 0 | 3 | | | | | |
| | Berg | n/a | | | | | | 1 | Wynne | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Jenkins | | | | Griffiths | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | 1 | Wynne | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |