title: 1997 WTA Tour Championships – Singles
text: # 1997 WTA Tour Championships – Singles
  
  Jana Novotná defeated Mary Pierce in the final, 7–6, 6–3, 6–2 to win the singles tennis title at the 1997 WTA Tour Championships.
  
  Steffi Graf was the two-time defending champion, but did not compete this year.
  
  ## Seeds
  
  A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.
  
  * Martina Hingis (quarterfinals)
  * Jana Novotná (champion)
  * Lindsay Davenport (first round)
  * Amanda Coetzer (first round)
  * Monica Seles (first round)
  * Iva Majoli (quarterfinals)
  * Mary Pierce (final)
  * Irina Spîrlea (semifinals)
  
  ## Main draw
  
  ### Key
  
  * Q = Qualifier
  * WC = Wild card
  * LL = Lucky loser
  * Alt = Alternate
  * SE = Special exempt
  * PR = Protected ranking
  * ITF = ITF entry
  * JE = Junior exempt
  * w/o = Walkover
  * r = Retired
  * d = Defaulted
  * SR = Special ranking
  * NB: The final was a best of five sets while all other rounds were the best of three sets.
  
  | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Martina Hingis | 7 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | Brenda Schultz-McCarthy | 6 | 2 | r | 1 | Martina Hingis | 3 | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | Sabine Appelmans | 3 | 4 | | 7 | Mary Pierce | 6 | 2 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 7 | Mary Pierce | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 7 | Mary Pierce | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | |
  | 4 | Amanda Coetzer | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | Nathalie Tauziat | 2 | 7 | 4 | | | | | |
  | | Nathalie Tauziat | 6 | 6 | | | Nathalie Tauziat | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | Anke Huber | 6 | 6 | | 6 | Iva Majoli | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 6 | Iva Majoli | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Mary Pierce | 6 | 2 | 3 |
  | 8 | Irina Spîrlea | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Jana Novotná | 7 | 6 | 6 |
  | | Sandrine Testud | 3 | 7 | 4 | 8 | Irina Spîrlea | 5 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | Mary Joe Fernández | 2 | 6 | 7 | | Mary Joe Fernández | 7 | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 3 | Lindsay Davenport | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | 8 | Irina Spîrlea | 6 | 2 | | | | | | |
  | 5 | Monica Seles | 6 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | 2 | Jana Novotná | 7 | 6 | | | | | | |
  | | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 3 | 6 | 6 | | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 4 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | Conchita Martínez | 4 | 4 | | 2 | Jana Novotná | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 2 | Jana Novotná | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  