Steffi Graf defeated Karina Habšudová in the final, 4–6, 6–2, 7–5 to win the singles tennis title at the 1996 WTA German Open.

Arantxa Sánchez Vicario was the defending champion, but lost in the quarterfinals to Elena Likhovtseva.^[1]

A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated. The top eight seeds received a bye to the second round.

	Semifinals							Final
	WC/1	Steffi Graf	7	6
	3	Iva Majoli	5	1
								WC/1	Steffi Graf	4	6	7
									Karina Habšudová	6	2	5
		Karina Habšudová	6	7
		Elena Likhovtseva	1	6

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
								WC/1	S Graf	6	6
	WC	M Weingärtner	6	2	2				T Whitlinger-Jones	1	2
		T Whitlinger-Jones	4	6	6										WC/1	S Graf	6	6
	Q	Á Montolio	5	3											14	Y Basuki	2	1
		T Ječmenica	7	6					T Ječmenica	1	r
		M Grzybowska	3	6	5			14	Y Basuki	5
	14	Y Basuki	6	1	7																	WC/1	S Graf	6	7
	10	N Tauziat	7	7																		10	N Tauziat	1	5
		E Makarova	5	5				10	N Tauziat	6	6
		R Grande	6	2	2				A Smashnova	4	3
		A Smashnova	4	6	6										10	N Tauziat	6	6
		J Kandarr	5	7	6											J Kandarr	3	4
		A Grossman	7	6	4				J Kandarr	7	2	6
								6	A Coetzer	6	6	3

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
								3	I Majoli	1	7	6
		Å Carlsson	6	6					Å Carlsson	6	5	2
		S Cacic	2	3											3	I Majoli	6	6
		N Arendt	4	4											15	S Hack	2	4
	WC	S Klösel	6	6				WC	S Klösel	1	3
	WC	A Glass	2	4				15	S Hack	6	6
	15	S Hack	6	6																		3	I Majoli	6	3	6
	12	J Wiesner	4	6	6																	7	B Paulus	3	6	3
		K Boogert	6	4	2			12	J Wiesner	7	6
		R Zrubáková	2	6	0			Q	S Dopfer	6	2
	Q	S Dopfer	6	0	6										12	J Wiesner	3	4
		K Nowak	6	6											7	B Paulus	6	6
		C Singer	3	4					K Nowak	2	3
								7	B Paulus	6	6

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
								5	M Pierce	6	6
		B Rittner	6	6					B Rittner	2	3
	Q	B Fulco-Villella	4	2											5	M Pierce	7	2	6
		K Habšudová	7	4	6											K Habšudová	6	6	7
		B Schett	6	6	4				K Habšudová	6	7
		J Watanabe	3	0				9	M Hingis	3	5
	9	M Hingis	6	6																			K Habšudová	6	6
	13	N Sawamatsu	6	5	6																	4	A Huber	4	1
		V Ruano-Pascual	4	7	3			13	N Sawamatsu	6	6
		P Begerow	6	7					P Begerow	4	3
		F Labat	3	6											13	N Sawamatsu	0	1
		L Lee	6	6											4	A Huber	6	6
		L Neiland	2	2					L Lee	6	5	3
								4	A Huber	3	7	6

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
								8	N Zvereva	7	2	6
		R Dragomir	4	6	6				R Dragomir	5	6	7
		A Temesvári	6	2	3											R Dragomir	3	6	6
	Q	D Randriantefy	3	3												E Likhovtseva	6	3	7
		N Bradtke	6	6					N Bradtke	0	0
		E Likhovtseva	6	6					E Likhovtseva	6	6
	11	A Sugiyama	3	2																			E Likhovtseva	6	2	6
	16	S Testud	6	6																		2	A Sánchez Vicario	3	6	0
		J Kruger	1	4				16	S Testud	6	2
		R McQuillan	4	3					L Richterová	7	6
		L Richterová	6	6												L Richterová	7	3	6
		M Werdel-Witmeyer	6	6											2	A Sánchez Vicario	6	6	7
		S Meier	4	4					M Werdel-Witmeyer	3	3
								2	A Sánchez Vicario	6	6

• 1996 WTA German Open draw