1988 Italian Open – Women's singles

Steffi Graf was the defending champion but did not compete that year.

Women's singles
1988 Italian Open
1987 Champion	Steffi Graf
Champion	Gabriela Sabatini
Runner-up	Helen Kelesi
Score	6–1, 6–7, 6–1
Draw	56
Seeds	16

Gabriela Sabatini won in the final 6–1, 6–7, 6–1 against Helen Kelesi.^[1]

Seeds

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.

1. Chris Evert (third round)
2. Gabriela Sabatini (champion)
3. Claudia Kohde-Kilsch (third round)
4. Katerina Maleeva (second round)
5. Raffaella Reggi (quarterfinals)
6. Sandra Cecchini (quarterfinals)
7. Sylvia Hanika (quarterfinals)
8. Arantxa Sánchez (semifinals)
9. Nathalie Tauziat (first round)
10. Isabel Cueto (third round)
11. Jana Novotná (first round)
12. Kathleen Horvath (first round)
13. Judith Wiesner (semifinals)
14. Helen Kelesi (final)
15. n/a
16. n/a

Draw

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild card
• LL = Lucky loser
• Alt = Alternate
• ITF = ITF entry
• PR = Protected ranking
• SR = Special ranking
• SE = Special exempt
• JE = Junior exempt
• JR = Junior Accelerator Programme entrant
• CO = College Accelerator Programme entrant
• NG = Next Gen Accelerator Program entrant
• w/o = Walkover
• r = Retired
• d = Defaulted

Finals

	Semifinals							Final
	14	Helen Kelesi	6	7
	8	Arantxa Sánchez	3	5
								14	Helen Kelesi	1	7	1
								2	Gabriela Sabatini	6	6	6
	13	Judith Wiesner	6	3
	2	Gabriela Sabatini	7	6

Top half

Section 1

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
								1	C Evert	7	6
		N Provis	7	5	6				N Provis	6	0
	Q	J Byrne	5	7	3										1	C Evert
		P Huber	2	6	2										14	H Kelesi	w/o
	Q	C Cohen	6	4	6			Q	C Cohen	0	2
		L Garrone	1	6				14	H Kelesi	6	6
	14	H Kelesi	6	7																		14	H Kelesi	6	6
	10	I Cueto	6	7																		5	R Reggi	4	3
		M Paz	3	6				10	I Cueto	7	6	6
		C Jolissaint	2	3					R Zrubáková	5	7	3
		R Zrubáková	6	6											10	I Cueto	5	3
		H ter Riet	4	3											5	R Reggi	7	6
		I Demongeot	6	6					I Demongeot	7	4	1
								5	R Reggi	5	6	6

Section 2

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
								4	K Maleeva	5	2
		B Fulco	6	7					B Fulco	7	6
		M Gurney	3	5												B Fulco	6	6
		B Bowes	2	3												J Halard	3	3
	Q	S La Fratta	6	6				Q	S La Fratta	1	2
		M Pérez-Roldán	3	6	4				J Halard	6	6
		J Halard	6	4	6																		B Fulco	4	4
	12	K Horvath	4	0																		8	A Sánchez	6	6
		I Kuczyńska	6	6					I Kuczyńska	2	2
		C Suire	3	2					S Goleš	6	6
		S Goleš	6	6												S Goleš	3	3
		B Paulus	1	3											8	A Sánchez	6	6
		L Ferrando	6	6					L Ferrando	2	1
								8	A Sánchez	6	6

Bottom half

Section 3

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
								6	S Cecchini	6	6
		I Budařová	7	4	5			Q	D Krajčovičová	4	1
	Q	D Krajčovičová	6	6	7										6	S Cecchini	4	6	6
		E Krapl	6	6											Q	A Kanellopoulou	6	1	4
		L Golarsa	3	2					E Krapl	3	0
	Q	A Kanellopoulou	3	6	6			Q	A Kanellopoulou	6	6
	9	N Tauziat	6	2	0																	6	S Cecchini	3	3
	13	J Wiesner	6	5	6																	13	J Wiesner	6	6
		G Boschiero	3	7	2			13	J Wiesner	6	6
		A Villagrán	3	7	6				A Villagrán	4	2
		S Wasserman	6	5	2										13	J Wiesner	6	4	6
		C Caverzasio	6	6											3	C Kohde-Kilsch	4	6	4
		C Singer	4	1					C Caverzasio	0	1
								3	C Kohde-Kilsch	6	6

Section 4

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
								7	S Hanika	3	6	6
		M Bollegraf	1	4				Q	B Romanò	6	3	2
	Q	B Romanò	6	6											7	S Hanika	6	6
		L Lapi	4	2												A Dechaume	2	1
		F Bonsignori	6	6					F Bonsignori	3	4
		C Tanvier	1	6	2				A Dechaume	6	6
		A Dechaume	6	2	6																	7	S Hanika	6	1	1
	11	J Novotná	6	1	6																	2	G Sabatini	3	6	6
		N Dias	2	6	7				N Dias	4	6	7
	Q	E Derly	6	6				Q	E Derly	6	3	5
		G Miró	2	3												N Dias	0	2
		P Medrado	3	0											2	G Sabatini	6	6
	Q	A Schwartz	6	6				Q	A Schwartz	4	2
								2	G Sabatini	6	6