martina hingis defeated jana novotná in the final, 2–6, 6–3, 6–3 to win the ladies' singles tennis title at the 1997 wimbledon championships. at 16 years and 278 days old, hingis became the youngest person to win the wimbledon singles title since lottie dod in 1887. steffi graf was the two-time defending champion, but did not compete due to injury.