Tennis at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Women's singles

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Women's singles
Tennis at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Final
ChampionFlag of Germany.svg  Steffi Graf  (FRG)
Runner-upFlag of Argentina.svg  Gabriela Sabatini  (ARG)
Score6–3, 6–3
Events
Singles men women
Doubles men women
  1984  · Summer Olympics ·  1992  

Women's singles tennis
at the Games of the XXIV Olympiad
Seoul women's tennis results.jpg
Women's singles results board
Venue Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center, Seoul
Dates23 September–1 October 1988
Competitors48 from 26 nations
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Steffi Graf
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany
Silver medal icon.svg Gabriela Sabatini
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina
Bronze medal icon.svg Zina Garrison
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Bronze medal icon.svg Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière
Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria
  1924
1992  

West Germany's Steffi Graf defeated Argentina's Gabriela Sabatini in the final, 6–3, 6–3 to win the gold medal in Women's Singles tennis at the 1988 Summer Olympics. With the win, Graf completed the Golden Slam, having also won all four majors earlier in 1988. The final was a rematch of the U.S. Open final earlier that year, where Graf also prevailed to complete the Grand Slam. The United States' Zina Garrison and Bulgaria's Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière won the bronze medals. It was the first medal in the event for West Germany, Argentina, and Bulgaria (each making their debut in the event), while the United States had previously earned medals in both of its prior appearances in 1900 and 1924.

Contents

The tournament was held from 23 September to 1 October at the Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center. [1] There were 48 competitors from 26 nations. [1] Each nation had only one pair. There was no bronze-medal match.

Background

This was the sixth appearance of the women's singles tennis. A women's event was held only once during the first three Games (only men's tennis was played in 1896 and 1904), but has been held at every Olympics for which there was a tennis tournament since 1908. Tennis was not a medal sport from 1928 to 1984, though there were demonstration events in 1968 and 1984. [1]

West Germany's Steffi Graf had just become the fifth person to win the Grand Slam and was also the unofficial defending Olympic champion, having won the 1984 demonstration event (the official reigning gold medalist from 1924, Helen Wills, had retired from tennis 50 years earlier). [1]

Of the 26 competing nations, 18 made their debut in the event. France and Great Britain each made their fifth appearance, tied for most among nations to that point.

Competition format

The competition was a single-elimination tournament. Unlike previous Olympic tournaments, no bronze-medal match was held. All matches were best-of-three sets. The 12-point tie-breaker, common by 1988, was used in the Olympics for the first time.

Schedule

All times are Korea Standard Time adjusted for daylight savings (UTC+10)

DateTimeRound
Friday, 23 September 1988Round of 64
Saturday, 24 September 1988Round of 32
Sunday, 25 September 1988Round of 16
Tuesday, 27 September 1988Quarterfinals
Thursday, 29 September 1988Semifinals
Saturday, 1 October 198811:13Final

Seeds

All seeds received a bye to the second round.

  1. Flag of Germany.svg  Steffi Graf  (FRG) (champion, gold medalist)
  2. Flag of the United States.svg  Chris Evert  (USA)(third round)
  3. Flag of Argentina.svg  Gabriela Sabatini  (ARG)(final, silver medalist)
  4. Flag of the United States.svg  Pam Shriver  (USA)(quarterfinals)
  5. Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Helena Suková  (TCH)(second round)
  6. Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Natasha Zvereva  (URS)(quarterfinals)
  7. Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière  (BUL)(semifinals, bronze medalist)
  8. Flag of the United States.svg  Zina Garrison  (USA)(semifinals, bronze medalist)
  9. Flag of Germany.svg  Claudia Kohde-Kilsch  (FRG)(second round)
  10. Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Katerina Maleeva  (BUL)(third round)
  11. Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Larisa Savchenko  (URS)(quarterfinals)
  12. Flag of Germany.svg  Sylvia Hanika  (FRG)(third round)

Draw

Key

Finals

Quarterfinals Semifinals Final (gold-medal match)
               
1 Flag of Germany.svg  Steffi Graf  (FRG)64 6
11 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Larisa Savchenko  (URS)2 63
1 Flag of Germany.svg  Steffi Graf  (FRG)66 
8 Flag of the United States.svg  Zina Garrison  (USA)2 0  
4 Flag of the United States.svg  Pam Shriver  (USA)2 3  
8 Flag of the United States.svg  Zina Garrison  (USA)66 
1 Flag of Germany.svg  Steffi Graf  (FRG)66 
3 Flag of Argentina.svg  Gabriela Sabatini  (ARG)3 3  
6 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Natasha Zvereva  (URS)4 3  
3 Flag of Argentina.svg  Gabriela Sabatini  (ARG)66 
3 Flag of Argentina.svg  Gabriela Sabatini  (ARG)66 
7 Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière  (BUL)1 2  
7 Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière  (BUL)66 
 Flag of Italy.svg  Raffaella Reggi  (ITA)3 4  

Top half

Section 1

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
1 Flag of Germany.svg  S Graf  (FRG)76 
 Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  R Rajchrtová  (TCH)5 5  Q Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  L Meskhi  (URS)5 1  
Q Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  L Meskhi  (URS)77 1 Flag of Germany.svg  S Graf  (FRG)66 
LL Flag of France.svg  C Suire  (FRA)63 6LL Flag of France.svg  C Suire  (FRA)3 0  
 Flag of Indonesia.svg  Y Basuki  (INA)3 60 LL Flag of France.svg  C Suire  (FRA)74 7
Q Flag of South Korea (1984-1997).svg  J-M Lee  (KOR)5 65
1 Flag of Germany.svg  S Graf  (FRG)64 6
11 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  L Savchenko  (URS)2 63
11 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  L Savchenko  (URS)6379
 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  S Gomer  (GBR)4 76 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  S Gomer  (GBR)7637
 Flag of New Zealand.svg  B Cordwell  (NZL)65 2 11 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  L Savchenko  (URS)67 
 Flag of South Korea (1984-1997).svg  I-S Kim  (KOR)63 7 Flag of South Korea (1984-1997).svg  I-S Kim  (KOR)3 64 
WC Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  E Inoue  (JPN)3 65  Flag of South Korea (1984-1997).svg  I-S Kim  (KOR)64 6
5 Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  H Suková  (TCH)2 62

Section 2

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
4 Flag of the United States.svg  P Shriver  (USA)66 
 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  J Hetherington  (CAN)66  Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  J Hetherington  (CAN)2 3  
Q Flag of Israel.svg  I Berger  (ISR)1 4  4 Flag of the United States.svg  P Shriver  (USA)63 6
 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  H Kelesi  (CAN)5 5  10 Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  K Maleeva  (BUL)3 62
Q Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg  G Miró  (BRA)77 Q Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg  G Miró  (BRA)5 1  
10 Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  K Maleeva  (BUL)76 
4 Flag of the United States.svg  P Shriver  (USA)2 3  
Q Flag of France.svg  I Demongeot  (FRA)4 3  8 Flag of the United States.svg  Z Garrison  (USA)66 
 Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  J Novotná  (TCH)66  Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  J Novotná  (TCH)4 3  
Q Flag of Austria.svg  B Paulus  (AUT)76 Q Flag of Austria.svg  B Paulus  (AUT)66 
 Flag of Argentina.svg  B Fulco  (ARG)654  Q Flag of Austria.svg  B Paulus  (AUT)5 2  
8 Flag of the United States.svg  Z Garrison  (USA)76 
Q Flag of Mexico.svg  C Hernández Salas  (MEX)1 4  
8 Flag of the United States.svg  Z Garrison  (USA)66 

Bottom half

Section 3

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
6 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  N Zvereva  (URS)63 6
 Flag of Australia.svg  A Minter  (AUS)66  Flag of Australia.svg  A Minter  (AUS)4 61
Q Flag of Mexico.svg  X Escobedo  (MEX)1 3  6 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  N Zvereva  (URS)66 
 Flag of Australia.svg  W Turnbull  (AUS)66  Flag of Denmark.svg  T Scheuer-Larsen  (DEN)1 2  
 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  C Wood  (GBR)1 3   Flag of Australia.svg  W Turnbull  (AUS)4 3  
 Flag of Algeria.svg  W Bouchabou  (ALG)0 1   Flag of Denmark.svg  T Scheuer-Larsen  (DEN)66 
 Flag of Denmark.svg  T Scheuer-Larsen  (DEN)66 6 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  N Zvereva  (URS)4 3  
3 Flag of Argentina.svg  G Sabatini  (ARG)66 
12 Flag of Germany.svg  S Hanika  (FRG)66 
Q Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  J Muir  (ZIM)1 1  
12 Flag of Germany.svg  S Hanika  (FRG)64 2
 Flag of Spain.svg  A Sánchez Vicario  (ESP)4 2  3 Flag of Argentina.svg  G Sabatini  (ARG)1 66
 Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  S Goleš  (YUG)66  Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  S Goleš  (YUG)1 0  
3 Flag of Argentina.svg  G Sabatini  (ARG)66 

Section 4

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
7 Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  M Maleeva-Fragnière  (BUL)66 
 Flag of Argentina.svg  M Paz  (ARG)76  Flag of Argentina.svg  M Paz  (ARG)1 2  
Q Flag of Greece.svg  O Tsarbopoulou  (GRE)673  7 Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  M Maleeva-Fragnière  (BUL)66 
Q Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  K Okamoto  (JPN)635  WC Flag of Sweden.svg  C Lindqvist  (SWE)1 0  
WC Flag of Sweden.svg  C Lindqvist  (SWE)77 WC Flag of Sweden.svg  C Lindqvist  (SWE)2 66
 Flag of France.svg  N Tauziat  (FRA)76  Flag of France.svg  N Tauziat  (FRA)63 4
 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  C Bassett-Seguso  (CAN)651  7 Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  M Maleeva-Fragnière  (BUL)66 
 Flag of Italy.svg  R Reggi  (ITA)3 4  
9 Flag of Germany.svg  C Kohde-Kilsch  (FRG)6633
 Flag of Australia.svg  E Smylie  (AUS)630   Flag of Italy.svg  R Reggi  (ITA)4 76
 Flag of Italy.svg  R Reggi  (ITA)76  Flag of Italy.svg  R Reggi  (ITA)2 66
2 Flag of the United States.svg  C Evert  (USA)64 1
WC Flag of Italy.svg  S Cecchini  (ITA)2 2  
2 Flag of the United States.svg  C Evert  (USA)66 

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Singles, Women". Olympedia. Retrieved 14 July 2021.