Incumbent champion Robert Fahey defended his title against amateur Julian Snow seven sets to four.

To qualify to challenge for the World Championship, players needed to win one of the four National Opens in the 1996 and 1997 seasons.

[3] Snow had challenged for the title on two previous occasions, first in 1993 where he lost in the Eliminator to Lachlan Deuchar at the Royal Melbourne Tennis Club.

He also challenged for the 1995 championship, and also lost in the first round Eliminator to Chris Bray at the Royal Tennis Court.

Fahey chose to again defend his championship at the Royal Melbourne Tennis Club, the same venue as the 1996 challenge.

Snow played Gooding in the Final Eliminator in late February at the Royal Melbourne Tennis Club as a best-of-13 match.

Gooding responded by aiming more at the targets, to run through the remaining sets and end the day tied 2–2.

Fahey had a strong start in the third set, but showed signs of tiring as his serving became looser and Snow began punishing it with cut-volleys.

He won the fifth set comfortably, followed by the sixth, where Snow used the angles of the court to his advantage, and defending the openings athletically.

Snow missed the dedan in the final game, allowing Fahey to hit the winning gallery to bring up another set point.

Fahey then deliberately double faulted to retain the serve at the start of the deciding game of the set.

Fahey started serving underarm twists and slowed the pace of his railroad and played with heavy cut as he brought the set back to 5-all.