Jana Novotná defeated Nathalie Tauziat in the final, 6–4, 7–6(7–2) to win the ladies' singles tennis title at the 1998 Wimbledon Championships.

[1] It was her first and only major singles title, following two previous runner-up finishes at Wimbledon.

[2] Martina Hingis was the defending champion, but lost in the semifinals to Novotná in a rematch of the previous year's final.

The final marked the first time in the Open Era that neither of the Wimbledon finalists had won a major previously, and the first time this scenario had happened at any major since the 1980 Australian Open.

1 Serena Williams; she lost to Virginia Ruano Pascual in the third round.