# 1996 Salem Open – Singles

Michael Chang was the defending champion but lost in the final 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 against Pete Sampras.

## Seeds

A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.
* Pete Sampras (champion)
* Michael Chang (final)
* Mark Woodforde (second round)
* Richard Krajicek (quarterfinals)
* Jan Siemerink (semifinals)
* Todd Woodbridge (semifinals)
* Brett Steven (first round)
* David Prinosil (quarterfinals)

## 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 | P Sampras | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Lareau | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | P Sampras | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | P Rafter | 6 | 6 | | WC | P Rafter | 3 | 6$^1$ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | J Hui | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | P Sampras | 6$^2$ | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | W Arthurs | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 8 | D Prinosil | 7$^7$ | 6$^3$ | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Renzenbrink | 4 | 4 | | Q | W Arthurs | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Knowles | 3 | 6$^4$ | | 8 | D Prinosil | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | D Prinosil | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | P Sampras | 6 | 4 | 7$^7$ | | | | | |
| 3 | M Woodforde | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | J Siemerink | 3 | 6 | 6$^2$ | | | | | |
| Q | K Kinnear | 3 | 4 | | 3 | M Woodforde | 4 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Matsuoka | 6$^5$ | 6 | 7$^8$ | | S Matsuoka | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Tebbutt | 7$^7$ | 4 | 6$^6$ | | | | | | | S Matsuoka | 3 | 6 | 6$^2$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | C-U Steeb | 7$^7$ | 5 | 2 | | | | | | 5 | J Siemerink | 6 | 2 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | K Carlsen | 6$^5$ | 7 | 6 | | K Carlsen | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | G Rusedski | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | J Siemerink | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | J Siemerink | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Pete Sampras | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| 6 | T Woodbridge | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Michael Chang | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| LL | P Nyborg | 2 | 2 | | 6 | T Woodbridge | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | J Eagle | 4 | 2 | | | T Johansson | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | T Johansson | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 6 | T Woodbridge | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Volkov | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | 4 | R Krajicek | 4 | 6$^5$ | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | C Chang | 4 | 5 | | | A Volkov | 6$^5$ | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | B Pan | 3 | 0 | | 4 | R Krajicek | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | R Krajicek | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | T Woodbridge | 3 | 4 | | | | | | |
| 7 | B Steven | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | M Chang | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | G Pozzi | 6 | 6 | | | G Pozzi | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Karbacher | 4 | 6 | 2 | | M Damm | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Damm | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | M Damm | 0 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Olhovskiy | 6$^6$ | 1 | | | | | | | 2 | M Chang | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | H Dreekmann | 7$^8$ | 6 | | | H Dreekmann | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Ondruska | 6$^5$ | 1 | | 2 | M Chang | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | M Chang | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |