Iva Majoli defeated Martina Hingis in the final, 6–4, 6–2 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1997 French Open. It was her first and only major title, becoming the first Croat to win a singles major. This was the only match Hingis lost at the majors in the 1997 season, preventing her from achieving the Grand Slam. Hingis was on a 35-match winning streak, dating to the start of the season in Sydney.

Steffi Graf was the two-time defending champion, but lost to Amanda Coetzer in the quarterfinals. It was the second consecutive major where Coetzer defeated Graf, after the 1997 Australian Open.

This tournament marked the major debut of future world No. 1 and seven-time major champion Venus Williams; she was defeated in the second round by Nathalie Tauziat.

	Quarterfinals							Semifinals							Final
	1	Martina Hingis	6	6
	6	Arantxa Sánchez Vicario	2	2
								1	Martina Hingis	62	7	6
								3	Monica Seles	77	5	4
	3	Monica Seles	3	6	7
	12	Mary Joe Fernández	6	2	5
															1	Martina Hingis	4	2
															9	Iva Majoli	6	6
	9	Iva Majoli	6	5	6
		Ruxandra Dragomir	3	7	2
								9	Iva Majoli	6	4	7
								11	Amanda Coetzer	3	6	5
	11	Amanda Coetzer	6	6
	2	Steffi Graf	1	4

	First round							Second round							Third round							Fourth round
	1	M Hingis	6	6
		H Nagyová	0	2				1	M Hingis	3	6	6
	Q	S Cacic	65	5					G Pizzichini	6	4	1
		G Pizzichini	77	7											1	M Hingis	6	6
		R Zrubáková	3	2												A Kournikova	1	3
		A Kournikova	6	6					A Kournikova	6	6
		M Endo	65	64					A-M Cecchini	2	2
		A-M Cecchini	77	77																		1	M Hingis	6	0	6
		S Farina	6	1	6																	16	B Paulus	3	6	0
		J Wiesner	2	6	0				S Farina	6	6
		M Grzybowska	6	3	4				P Begerow	4	2
		P Begerow	3	6	6											S Farina	4	1
		S-t Wang	6	7											16	B Paulus	6	6
		S Devillé	3	5					S-t Wang	2	2
		T Whitlinger-Jones	0	1				16	B Paulus	6	6
	16	B Paulus	6	6

	First round							Second round							Third round							Fourth round
	14	B Schultz-McCarthy	6	7
		L Cenková	3	5				14	B Schultz-McCarthy	4	77	6
		F Labat	7	6					F Labat	6	65	4
		K Boogert	5	0											14	B Schultz-McCarthy	62	4
	WC	M Lamarre	6													N Zvereva	77	6
		B Schett	1	r				WC	M Lamarre	4	5
		M Tu	3	6	4				N Zvereva	6	7
		N Zvereva	6	3	6																		N Zvereva	4	2
		B Rittner	0	r																		6	A Sánchez Vicario	6	6
		D Van Roost	3						D Van Roost	6	6
		E Gagliardi	6	6					E Gagliardi	2	0
		K Brandi	3	4												D Van Roost	0	3
		E Pampoulova	7	4	1										6	A Sánchez Vicario	6	6
		A Sugiyama	5	6	6				A Sugiyama	3	1
	WC	K Jagieniak	0	2				6	A Sánchez Vicario	6	6
	6	A Sánchez Vicario	6	6

	First round							Second round							Third round							Fourth round
	3	M Seles	6	6
		M Saeki	0	3				3	M Seles	6	7
		S Pitkowski	77	6					S Pitkowski	3	5
		F Lubiani	62	2											3	M Seles	6	6
		N Sawamatsu	2	77	5											N Tauziat	0	1
		V Williams	6	62	7				V Williams	7	3	5
		N Tauziat	6	6					N Tauziat	5	6	7
		R Simpson	3	2																		3	M Seles	6	7
		S Testud	6	6																		10	M Pierce	4	5
	Q	S-h Park	0	4					S Testud	6	6
		W Probst	3	4					C Cristea	0	4
		C Cristea	6	6												S Testud	1	3
		P Hy-Boulais	66	6	11										10	M Pierce	6	6
		N Dechy	78	4	9				P Hy-Boulais	1	3
		T Panova	2	6	4			10	M Pierce	6	6
	10	M Pierce	6	4	6

	First round							Second round							Third round							Fourth round
	12	M J Fernandez	6	6
		L McNeil	2	3				12	M J Fernandez	6	6
		A Glass	6	4	6				A Glass	1	0
		E Callens	3	6	2										12	M J Fernandez	6	77
		M Oremans	6	2	3											F Perfetti	3	64
	WC	L Ghirardi-Rubbi	2	6	6			WC	L Ghirardi-Rubbi	4	1
		N Miyagi	63	6	0				F Perfetti	6	6
		F Perfetti	77	2	6																	12	M J Fernandez	64	6	6
		M Maleeva	6	5	3																		L Raymond	77	2	2
		L Raymond	4	7	6				L Raymond	6	6
		L Courtois	62	4					T Tanasugarn	1	1
		T Tanasugarn	77	6												L Raymond	6	2	6
		Y Yoshida	6	6												K Po	4	6	1
		R McQuillan	2	4					Y Yoshida	3	0
		K Po	6	4	6				K Po	6	6
	8	A Huber	3	6	3

	First round							Second round							Third round							Fourth round
	5	L Davenport	6	6
	Q	J Kruger	2	3				5	L Davenport	6	6
		E Makarova	6	6					E Makarova	1	1
		A Dechaume-Balleret	4	2											5	L Davenport	4	6	9
		M Maruska	3	3												P Schnyder	6	3	7
		P Schnyder	6	6					P Schnyder	6	2
		K Studeníková	6	6					K Studeníková	0	0	r
		P Langrová	2	2																		5	L Davenport	7	4	2
		A-G Sidot	2	5																		9	I Majoli	5	6	6
		L Neiland	6	7					L Neiland	4	4
		A Gerši	3	0					A Grossman	6	6
		A Grossman	6	6												A Grossman	1	6	1
		L Richterová	5	0	r										9	I Majoli	6	4	6
		A Fusai	7	3					A Fusai	2	3
		S Kleinová	5	4				9	I Majoli	6	6
	9	I Majoli	7	6

	First round							Second round							Third round							Fourth round
	15	K Habšudová	6	6
		O Barabanschikova	3	3				15	K Habšudová	6	6
		L Němečková	4	3					E Likhovtseva	2	2
		E Likhovtseva	6	6											15	K Habšudová	3	2
		Å Carlsson	4	6	1											R Dragomir	6	6
		Y Basuki	6	4	6				Y Basuki	5	6	6
		R Dragomir	6	6					R Dragomir	7	4	8
	Q	S Jeyaseelan	3	2																			R Dragomir	6	6
		R Hiraki	2	1																			N Arendt	1	1
		N Arendt	6	6					N Arendt	6	6
	Q	L Golarsa	4	7	12			Q	L Golarsa	2	2
		N van Lottum	6	5	10											N Arendt	3	6	6
		J Kandarr	77	6											4	J Novotná	6	4	4
		G León García	61	3					J Kandarr	4	0
		C Torrens Valero	3	2				4	J Novotná	6	6
	4	J Novotná	6	6

	First round							Second round							Third round							Fourth round
	7	C Martínez	4	6	6
	WC	É Loit	6	2	3			7	C Martínez	6	6
		C Rubin	77	7					C Rubin	3	0
		M Díaz Oliva	65	5											7	C Martínez	6	6
	WC	C Dhenin	67	6	6										WC	C Dhenin	2	1
		S Appelmans	79	2	1			WC	C Dhenin	6	7
		S Talaja	7	6					S Talaja	2	5
	Q	M Kochta	5	3																		7	C Martínez	77	4	3
		M Babel	1	6	6																	11	A Coetzer	64	6	6
	Q	E Curutchet	6	4	2				M Babel	4	6	12
		S Dopfer	3	4					H Suková	6	4	10
		H Suková	6	6												M Babel	4	2
		D Chládková	4	0											11	A Coetzer	6	6
		A Frazier	6	6					A Frazier	65	4
		R Grande	4	0				11	A Coetzer	77	6
	11	A Coetzer	6	6

	First round							Second round							Third round							Fourth round
	13	I Spîrlea	6	6
	Q	J Lee	1	0				13	I Spîrlea	6	4	6
		A Olsza	3	3					I Gorrochategui	4	6	2
		I Gorrochategui	6	6											13	I Spîrlea	6	6
		Á Montolio	0	0												V Ruano Pascual	1	1
		V Ruano Pascual	6	6					V Ruano Pascual	6	6
		A Ellwood	2	6	3			WC	A Cocheteux	4	2
	WC	A Cocheteux	6	3	6																	13	I Spîrlea	77	2	2
		N Kijimuta	6	6																		2	S Graf	64	6	6
	WC	L Andretto	3	3					N Kijimuta	6	4	2
		M Serna	77	6					M Serna	3	6	6
		L Wild	64	0												M Serna	64	1
	WC	A Mauresmo	6	6											2	S Graf	77	6
		J Watanabe	3	4				WC	A Mauresmo	3	3
		P Suárez	1	4				2	S Graf	6	6
	2	S Graf	6	6

• 1997 French Open – Women's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation