Mats Wilander defeated three-time defending champion Ivan Lendl in a rematch of the previous year's final, 6–4, 4–6, 6–3, 5–7, 6–4 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1988 US Open.^[1] It was his first US Open singles title and seventh and last major singles title overall. It was the longest US Open men's singles final in history, lasting 4 hours and 54 minutes.^[2] With the win, Wilander gained the world No. 1 singles ranking for the first time, replacing Lendl.

Aged 15 years and 2 months, Tommy Ho was the youngest man in the Open Era to appear in the main draw of a major. He lost in the first round to Johan Kriek.

This tournament marked the first major main draw appearances for future 14-time major champion Pete Sampras and future four-time major champion Jim Courier.^[3]

The seeded players are listed below. Mats Wilander is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.

	Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Final
	1	Ivan Lendl	6	6	6
		Derrick Rostagno	2	2	0
										1	Ivan Lendl	4	6	6	6
										4	Andre Agassi	6	2	3	4
	4	Andre Agassi	6	78	6
	6	Jimmy Connors	2	66	1
																			1	Ivan Lendl	4	6	3	7	4
																			2	Mats Wilander	6	4	6	5	6
		Darren Cahill	6	5	77	5	6
		Aaron Krickstein	2	7	62	7	3
											Darren Cahill	4	4	2
										2	Mats Wilander	6	6	6
		Emilio Sánchez	6	66	0	4
	2	Mats Wilander	3	78	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	1	I Lendl	6	6	6	5	6
		A Mansdorf	2	7	1	7	0			1	I Lendl	6	6	6
		J Berger	6	6	6						J Berger	2	4	1
	Q	D Cassidy	4	0	2														1	I Lendl	6	6	6
	Q	J Brown	6	4	6	7													WC	S Davis	1	4	3
		D Goldie	4	6	3	6				Q	J Brown	3	3	6	3
		J Bates	4	3	1					WC	S Davis	6	6	3	6
	WC	S Davis	6	6	6																							1	I Lendl	6	5	6	6
		W Masur	6	6	6																								J Hlasek	4	7	2	4
	Q	R Smith	2	3	4						W Masur	0	3	0
		J Hlasek	6	6	4	6					J Hlasek	6	6	6
		C Pistolesi	2	2	6	3														J Hlasek	6	6	6
		R Reneberg	6	4	6	6													15	A Järryd	3	4	2
		M Vajda	3	6	4	0					R Reneberg	3	5	4
		J Nyström	3	6	3	2				15	A Järryd	6	7	6
	15	A Järryd	6	4	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	9	T Mayotte	6	6	4	5	6
		J Pugh	3	4	6	7	3			9	T Mayotte	7	6	6
	Q	G Pozzi	3	6	6	6				Q	G Pozzi	6	4	3
		P Lundgren	6	3	2	3													9	T Mayotte	3	4	2
		C Motta	7	6	3	4	4													D Rostagno	6	6	6
		M Davis	5	3	6	6	6				M Davis	4	4	3
		D Rostagno	6	6	6	7					D Rostagno	6	6	6
		Y Doumbia	3	7	3	6																							D Rostagno	6	3	6	6
	Q	J Palmer	2	4	6	6	6																						R Agénor	2	6	1	3
	WC	J Tarango	6	6	2	4	0			Q	J Palmer	2	7	1	r
		K Evernden	1	6	3	6	1				R Agénor	6	6	5
		R Agénor	6	3	6	3	6													R Agénor	6	6	2	6
		J Stoltenberg	6	4	6	6	6													J Stoltenberg	3	1	6	0
		M Anger	7	6	3	4	4				J Stoltenberg	4	6	6	6
	Q	K Jones	6	4	1					7	Y Noah	6	2	3	4
	7	Y Noah	7	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	4	A Agassi	7	6	6
	Q	P Johnson	6	3	3					4	A Agassi	4	6	6	6
	WC	S Melville	7	5	1	6				WC	R Leach	6	2	3	4
	WC	R Leach	6	7	6	7													4	A Agassi	6	6	2	6
		M Jaite	6	6	1	6														J Kriek	3	1	6	0
		T Champion	1	4	6	0					M Jaite	4	2	6	6
	WC	T Ho	4	6	6						J Kriek	6	6	3	7
		J Kriek	6	7	7																							4	A Agassi	7	6	6
		A Castle	1	7	2	5																							M Chang	5	3	2
		C Mezzadri	6	5	6	7					C Mezzadri	6	2	2
		R Osterthun	6	2	1	2					T Wilkison	7	6	6
		T Wilkison	3	6	6	6														T Wilkison	6	6	3	4	5
		M Chang	6	6	7															M Chang	4	3	6	6	7
		L Mattar	4	3	5						M Chang	5	6	2	6	6
		T Witsken	3	3	4					13	J Svensson	7	4	6	1	4
	13	J Svensson	6	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	12	G Pérez Roldán	6	7	3	6	7
		K Flach	7	6	6	1	6			12	G Pérez Roldán	6	6	5	6	6
	WC	J Ross	7	6	4	6				WC	J Ross	4	4	7	7	3
		J-P Fleurian	6	4	6	1													12	G Pérez Roldán	4	4	7	6
		J Lozano	6	7	3	7														J Lozano	6	6	5	7
		J Grabb	2	5	6	5					J Lozano	7	6	2	6	6
		M Kures	3	4	3						R Seguso	5	0	6	7	4
		R Seguso	6	6	6																								J Lozano	1	2	0
		P Aldrich	7	6	6																							6	J Connors	6	6	6
		W Kowalski	5	3	4						P Aldrich	7	6	6
		C Bergström	6	3	2	6	4			Q	G Connell	6	4	3
	Q	G Connell	3	6	6	3	6													P Aldrich	3	2	3
		P Korda	6	4	0	r													6	J Connors	6	6	6
		G Bloom	4	6	3						G Bloom	0	3	6	1
		A Moreno	3	2	2					6	J Connors	6	6	3	6
	6	J Connors	6	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	5	B Becker	6	6	7
		T Nelson	3	0	6					5	B Becker	3	3	2
		L Duncan	0	2	2						D Cahill	6	6	6
		D Cahill	6	6	6															D Cahill
		H de la Peña	3	6	6	6	2													M Ingaramo	w/o
		M Ingaramo	6	3	3	7	6				M Ingaramo	7	6	3	6
		U Riglewski	2	6	6	2				Q	A Burrow	6	1	6	2
	Q	A Burrow	6	4	7	6																							D Cahill	6	6	6
	Q	M Robertson	3	6	3																							Q	M Laurendeau	4	4	3
		M Oosting	6	7	6						M Oosting	3	3	2
	Q	M Laurendeau	2	6	7	7				Q	M Laurendeau	6	6	6
		J Arias	6	4	6	6													Q	M Laurendeau	4	6	6	7
	WC	P Sampras	7	7	4	5	2													J Yzaga	6	2	4	5
		J Yzaga	6	6	6	7	6				J Yzaga	1	6	6	6
		M Šrejber	3	3	2					11	B Gilbert	6	0	4	2
	11	B Gilbert	6	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	14	A Gómez	6	6	6
		J Sánchez	4	2	2					14	A Gómez	7	2	6	2	6
		S Matsuoka	3	6	6	6					S Matsuoka	6	6	4	6	2
		S Youl	6	4	3	2													14	A Gómez	4	6	4	4
		A Krickstein	7	6	6															A Krickstein	6	4	6	6
		M Schapers	5	3	2						A Krickstein	3	6	6	6
		D Pate	4	6	6	6					D Pate	6	2	4	3
		E Jelen	6	1	4	2																							A Krickstein	5	7	7	4	7
		T Svantesson	0	4	6	7	6																					3	S Edberg	7	6	6	6	5
		T Carbonell	6	6	1	6	4				T Svantesson	2	3	0
	Q	J Carlsson	6	6	6					Q	J Carlsson	6	6	6
		S Živojinović	0	4	4														Q	J Carlsson	0	5	2
		G Forget	5	6	6	6													3	S Edberg	6	7	6
		T Tulasne	7	4	3	4					G Forget	5	1	3
	Q	L Pimek	2	2	4					3	S Edberg	7	6	6
	3	S Edberg	6	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	8	M Mečíř	7	6	6
		T Šmid	5	4	0					8	M Mečíř	6	6	7
		S Giammalva, Jr.	6	6	7						S Giammalva, Jr.	4	1	6
	Q	M Nido	4	3	6														8	M Mečíř	3	6	6	1
		E Sánchez	6	6	6															E Sánchez	6	3	7	6
		S Casal	3	4	2						E Sánchez	6	7	6
	Q	N Marques	4	7	6	5	1				R Krishnan	2	5	2
		R Krishnan	6	5	3	7	6																						E Sánchez	6	6	6
		P Annacone	6	6	2	6																							J Frawley	2	3	4
		M Narducci	4	3	6	3					P Annacone	4	6	6	3	6
		J Frawley	5	6	6	6					J Frawley	6	3	4	6	7
		J Rive	7	3	0	3														J Frawley	6	6	6
		L Shiras	3	4	7	6	2												10	H Leconte	3	4	3
	LL	B Moir	6	6	5	0	6			LL	B Moir	0	4	4
		J Frana	4	6	3	4				10	H Leconte	6	6	6
	10	H Leconte	6	3	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	16	J McEnroe	6	6	6
	Q	L Lavalle	3	4	4					16	J McEnroe	5	6	7	3	1
		E Masso	3	0	7	6	3				M Woodforde	7	4	6	6	6
		M Woodforde	6	6	6	1	6													M Woodforde	6	5	6	6
		N Kroon	4	6	5	2														D Nargiso	1	7	3	0
		P Kühnen	6	2	7	6					P Kühnen	3	5	4
		D Nargiso	7	7	7						D Nargiso	6	7	6
		C Pridham	5	6	6																								M Woodforde	3	2	2
		T Muster	6	2	6	1																						2	M Wilander	6	6	6
		M Pernfors	7	6	3	6					M Pernfors	6	6	6
		J Courier	7	6	6						J Courier	3	4	4
		H Skoff	5	4	3															M Pernfors	4	0	5
		K Curren	6	6	6														2	M Wilander	6	6	7
	WC	R Weiss	4	4	4						K Curren	6	3	2	6	3
		G Holmes	2	1	4					2	M Wilander	3	6	6	3	6
	2	M Wilander	6	6	6

• Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) – 1988 US Open Men's Singles draw
• 1988 US Open – Men's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation