1996 in tennis

This page covers all the important events in the sport of tennis in 1996. Primarily, it provides the results of notable tournaments throughout the year on both the ATP and WTA Tours, the Davis Cup, and the Fed Cup.

ITF

Grand Slam events

Australian Open

• Men's singles: Boris Becker def. Michael Chang, 6–2, 6–4, 2–6, 6–2
• Women's singles: Monica Seles def. Anke Huber, 6–4, 6–1

French Open

• Men's singles: Yevgeny Kafelnikov^[1] def. Michael Stich, 7–6(4), 7–5, 7–6(4)
• Women's singles: Steffi Graf def. Gabriela Sabatini, 6–3, 6–7(4), 10–8

Wimbledon

• Gentlemen's singles: Richard Krajicek^[2] def. MaliVai Washington,^[3] 6–3, 6–4, 6–3
• Ladies' singles: Steffi Graf def. Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, 6–3, 7–5

US Open

• Men's singles: Pete Sampras def. Michael Chang, 6–1, 6–4, 7–6
• Women's singles: Steffi Graf def. Monica Seles, 7–5, 6–4

Davis Cup

World Group Draw

First round 9–11 February

Quarterfinals 5–7 April

Semifinals 20–22 September

Final 29 November - 1 December

Rome, Italy (clay)

Russia

2

Rome, Italy (clay)

Italy

3

Italy

4

Johannesburg, South Africa (indoor hard)

South Africa

1

Austria

2

Nantes, France (indoor carpet)

South Africa

3

Italy

2

Geneva, Switzerland (indoor clay)

France

3

Germany

5

Limoges, France (indoor clay)

Switzerland

0

Germany

0

Besançon, France (indoor hard)

France

5

France

5

Malmö, Sweden (indoor hard)

Denmark

0

France

3

Jaipur, India (grass)

Sweden

2

India

3

Calcutta, India (grass)

Netherlands

2

India

0

Katrineholm, Sweden (indoor carpet)

Sweden

5

Belgium

1

Prague, Czech Republic (indoor carpet)

Sweden

4

Sweden

4

Plzeň, Czech Republic (indoor carpet)

Czech Republic

1

Hungary

0

Prague, Czech Republic (indoor carpet)

Czech Republic

5

Czech Republic

3

Carlsbad, California, United States (hard)

United States

2

Mexico

0

United States

5

Final

Sweden 2	Massan Hall, Malmö, Sweden 29 November - 1 December 1996 hard (indoors)		France 3
1 2 3 4 5 1 Stefan Edberg Cédric Pioline 3 6 4 6 3 6       2 Thomas Enqvist Arnaud Boetsch 6 4 6 3 7^7 6^2       3 Jonas Björkman / Nicklas Kulti Guy Forget / Guillaume Raoux 3 6 6 1 3 6 3 6     4 Thomas Enqvist Cédric Pioline 3 6 6^9 7^11 6 4 6 4 9 7   5 Nicklas Kulti Arnaud Boetsch 6^2 7^7 6 2 6 4 6^5 7^7 8 10

Fed Cup

World Group Draw

	Quarterfinals 27–28 April					Semifinals 13–14 July					Final 28–29 September
	Salzburg, Austria (clay)
	1	United States	3
		Austria	2			Nagoya, Japan (indoor carpet)
						1	United States	5
Tokyo, Japan (indoor hard)						4	Japan	0
	4	Japan	3
		Germany	2								Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States (indoor carpet)
											1	United States	5
	Amiens, France (clay)										2	Spain	0
		France	3
	3	Argentina	2			Bayonne, France (indoor carpet)
							France	2
Murcia, Spain (clay)						2	Spain	3
		South Africa	2
	2	Spain	3

Final

United States 5	Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States 28–29 September 1996 Carpet (Supreme) - Indoors		Spain 0
1 2 3 1 Monica Seles Conchita Martínez 6 2 6 4     2 Lindsay Davenport Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 7 5 6 1     3 Monica Seles Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 3 6 6 3 6 1   4 Lindsay Davenport Gala León García 7 5 6 2     5 Mary Joe Fernández / Linda Wild Gala León García / Virginia Ruano-Pascual 6 1 6 4

Olympics

• Men's singles: Andre Agassi def. Sergi Bruguera, 6–2, 6–3, 6–1
• Women's singles: Lindsay Davenport def. Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, 7–6(6), 6–2

ATP Tour

ATP World Tour Finals

• Pete Sampras def. Boris Becker, 3–6, 7–6(5), 7–6(4), 6–7(11), 6–4

WTA Tour

WTA Tour Championships

• Singles: Steffi Graf defeated Martina Hingis 6–3, 4–6, 6–0, 4–6, 6–0

References

1. Kafelnikov became the first Russian tennis player (male or female) to win a Grand Slam singles title.
2. The first Dutchman to win a Grand Slam singles title.
3. Washington was the first African American since Arthur Ashe, in 1975, to reach the Wimbledon men's singles final.