| Score: | 6–3, 6–4, 6–3 |
| Draw: | 128 (16 / 8) |
| Seeds: | 16 |
| Before Name: | Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles |
| After Name: | Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles |
See main article: 1996 Wimbledon Championships.
Richard Krajicek defeated MaliVai Washington in the final, 6–3, 6–4, 6–3 to win the gentlemen's singles tennis title at the 1996 Wimbledon Championships.[1] It was his first and only major singles title. Krajicek was originally unseeded, but replaced seventh seed Thomas Muster in the draw when Muster withdrew from the tournament. Washington became the first Black major finalist since Yannick Noah at the 1983 French Open, and the first at Wimbledon since Arthur Ashe in 1975.
Pete Sampras was the three-time defending champion, but was defeated by Krajicek in the quarterfinals. It would be his only loss at Wimbledon between 1993 and 2000.
For the first time since the 1990 French Open, none of the four semifinalists at a major had previously won a major title. Of the four, only Todd Martin had contested a major final before.
An unusual number of top seeds were eliminated early, including 1992 champion Andre Agassi (No. 3), reigning French Open champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov (No. 5), Michael Chang (No. 6), and 1993 finalist Jim Courier (No. 9): all in the first round. Three-time champion Boris Becker, seeded second, was eliminated in the third round when he withdrew from his match with Neville Godwin with a wrist injury.
See also: 1 and 1. 
Pete Sampras (quarterfinals)
See also: 2 and 8. Boris Becker (third round, retired)
See also: 3 and 6. Andre Agassi (first round)
See also: 4 and 3. Goran Ivanišević (quarterfinals)
See also: 5 and 5. 
Yevgeny Kafelnikov (first round)
See also: 6 and 4. Michael Chang (first round)
See also: 7. 
Thomas Muster (withdrew)
See also: 8 and 7. Jim Courier (first round)
See also: 9 and 7. 
Thomas Enqvist (second round)
See also: 10 and 2. Michael Stich (fourth round)
See also: 11 and 5. Wayne Ferreira (third round)
See also: 12 and 4. Stefan Edberg (second round)
See also: 13 and 6. Todd Martin (semifinals)
See also: 14 and 3. Marc Rosset (third round)
See also: 15 and 8. 
Arnaud Boetsch (first round)
See also: 16 and 1. Cédric Pioline (fourth round)
See also: 17 and 2. Richard Krajicek (champion)
Thomas Muster withdrew due to injury. His spot was replaced in the draw by the highest-ranked non-seeded player Richard Krajicek, who was made a seed without being numbered. Although Krajicek was shown as unseeded in the official souvenir programme during the championships, the committee ruled that he was seeded throughout and this is reflected in the final issue of the programme. He was indeed replaced by lucky loser Anders Järryd in the main draw.[2]
See main article: 1996 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles qualifying.