Defending champion Chris Evert defeated Martina Navratilova in the final, 2–6, 6–3, 6–3 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1986 French Open. It was her seventh French Open singles title and her 18th and final major singles title overall, an Open Era record. It also marked the 13th consecutive year in which Evert won a major, another Open Era record. It was the third successive year that Evert and Navratilova contested the French Open final.

Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Chris Evert is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated. • # 🇺🇸 Martina Navratilova (finalist) • # 🇺🇸 Chris Evert-Lloyd (champion) • # Steffi Graf (quarterfinals) • # Claudia Kohde-Kilsch (fourth round) • # Hana Mandlíková (semifinals) • # Helena Suková (semifinals) • # 🇺🇸 Kathy Rinaldi (quarterfinals) • # 🇧🇬 Manuela Maleeva (third round) • # 🇦🇷 Gabriela Sabatini (fourth round) • # 🇺🇸 Zina Garrison (third round) • # 🇺🇸 Kathy Jordan (first round) • # 🇸🇪 Catarina Lindqvist (fourth round) • # 🇨🇦 Carling Bassett (quarterfinals) • # 🇭🇺 Andrea Temesvári (second round) • # 🇺🇸 Anne White (first round) • # 🇺🇸 Terry Phelps (third round)

Qualifying

Draw

Finals

Earlier rounds

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4

Section 5

Section 6

Section 7

Section 8