Defending champion Steffi Graf defeated Monica Seles in a rematch of the previous year's final, 7–5, 6–4 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1996 US Open. Graf did not lose a set during the tournament. This was the final major appearance for 1990 champion Gabriela Sabatini. It was also the final major singles appearance for 15-time major quarterfinalist and former world No. 4 Zina Garrison.

Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Steffi Graf is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated. • 🇩🇪 Steffi Graf (champion) • 🇺🇸 Monica Seles (final) • 🇪🇸 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (fourth round) • 🇪🇸 Conchita Martínez (semifinals) • Iva Majoli (first round) • 🇩🇪 Anke Huber (first round) • 🇨🇿 Jana Novotná (quarterfinals) • 🇺🇸 Lindsay Davenport (fourth round) • 🇺🇸 Mary Joe Fernández (withdrew due to wrist injury) • 🇯🇵 Kimiko Date (first round) • 🇺🇸 Chanda Rubin (withdrew due to wrist injury) • 🇧🇬 Magdalena Maleeva (first round) • Brenda Schultz-McCarthy (second round) • 🇦🇹 Barbara Paulus (third round) • 🇦🇷 Gabriela Sabatini (third round) • Martina Hingis (semifinals) • 🇸🇰 Karina Habšudová (fourth round) Chanda Rubin pulled out before the tournament began and her position in the draw was taken over by seventeenth-seeded Karina Habšudová, Rubin was replaced by lucky loser Annabel Ellwood; Mary Joe Fernández, who withdrew on the first day of the tournament, was replaced by lucky loser Tina Križan.

Qualifying

Draw

Finals

Top half

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4

Bottom half

Section 5

Section 6

Section 7

Section 8