Petr Korda defeated Marcelo Ríos in the final, 6–2, 6–2, 6–2 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1998 Australian Open.

It was his first and only major title, becoming the first Czech player to win a major singles title (following the Czech Republic's independence from Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992).

and Ríos' only major final; Ríos remains the only man to have held the world No.

Pete Sampras was the defending champion, but lost to Karol Kučera in the quarterfinals.

No Americans made the semifinals for the first time since 1990.