| Singles | |
|---|---|
| 1997 ASB Classic | |
| 1996 Champion |  Sandra Cacic |
| Champion |  Marion Maruska |
| Runner-up | Judith Wiesner |
| Score | 6–3, 6–1. |
| Draw | 32 |
| Seeds | 8 |
Sandra Cacic was the defending champion but lost in the quarterfinals to Tamarine Tanasugarn.
Marion Maruska won in the final 6–3, 6–1 against Judith Wiesner.
A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.
Anke Huber (quarterfinals) Judith Wiesner (final) Linda Wild (second round) Barbara Schett (first round)
Florencia Labat (second round)
Dominique Van Roost (first round) Karin Kschwendt (first round)
Alexandra Fusai (first round)Leila Meskhi was the defending champion but did not compete that year.
Three-time defending champion Conchita Martínez defeated Martina Hingis in the final, 6–2, 6–3 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1996 Italian Open.
Third-seeded Lindsay Davenport was the defending champion and won in the final 6–3, 7–6 against Barbara Paulus.
Iva Majoli was the defending champion but lost in the quarterfinals to Judith Wiesner.
Anke Huber won in the final 6–3, 6–0 against Karina Habšudová.
Chris Evert was the defending champion and won in the final 7–6, 6–4 against Arantxa Sánchez.
Steffi Graf was the defending champion but lost in the semifinals to Gabriela Sabatini.
Barbara Paulus was the defending champion but lost in the quarterfinals to María Sánchez Lorenzo.
Martina Navratilova was the defending champion but did not compete that year.
Mary Joe Fernández was the defending champion but lost in the second round to Sandrine Testud.
Anke Huber was the defending champion but did not compete that year.
Pam Shriver was the defending champion and lost in the quarter-finals to Terry Phelps.
Neige Dias was the defending champion but lost in the second round to Tine Scheuer-Larsen.
Gabriela Sabatini was the defending champion and won in the final 6–2, 5–7, 6–4 against Arantxa Sánchez.
Sandra Cecchini was the defending champion but did not compete that year.
Judith Wiesner won in the final 6–3, 6–7, 6–1 against Barbara Paulus.
Judith Wiesner won in the final 6–1, 6–2 against Sylvia Hanika.
Claudia Kohde-Kilsch and Jana Novotná were the defending champions but only Novotná competed that year with Tine Scheuer-Larsen.
Katerina Maleeva was the defending champion but did not compete that year.
Andrea Betzner and Judith Wiesner were the defending champions but only Wiesner competed that year with Sabrina Goleš.
