| As of 6 January 1997 |
| Rk |
Name |
Nation |
| 1 |
Pete Sampras |
USA |
| 2 |
Michael Chang |
USA |
| 3 |
Goran Ivanišević |
CRO |
| 4 |
Yevgeny Kafelnikov |
RUS |
| 5 |
Thomas Muster |
AUT |
| 6 |
Boris Becker |
GER |
| 7 |
Richard Krajicek |
NED |
| 8 |
Andre Agassi |
USA |
| 9 |
Thomas Enqvist |
SWE |
| 10 |
Wayne Ferreira |
RSA |
| 11 |
Marcelo Ríos |
CHI |
| 12 |
Todd Martin |
USA |
| 13 |
Albert Costa |
ESP |
| 14 |
Stefan Edberg |
SWE |
| 15 |
Jim Courier |
USA |
| 16 |
Magnus Gustafsson |
SWE |
| 17 |
Jan Siemerink |
NED |
| 18 |
Félix Mantilla |
ESP |
| 19 |
Michael Stich |
GER |
| 20 |
Alberto Berasategui |
ESP |
|
| Year-end rankings (15 December 1997) |
| Rk |
Name |
Nation |
Points |
High |
Low |
Change |
| 1 |
Pete Sampras |
USA |
4547 |
1 |
1 |
= |
| 2 |
Patrick Rafter |
AUS |
3210 |
2 |
63 |
+61 |
| 3 |
Michael Chang |
USA |
3189 |
2 |
4 |
−1 |
| 4 |
Jonas Björkman |
SWE |
2949 |
4 |
65 |
+61 |
| 5 |
Yevgeny Kafelnikov |
RUS |
2690 |
3 |
11 |
−1 |
| 6 |
Greg Rusedski |
GBR |
2617 |
4 |
56 |
+41 |
| 7 |
Carlos Moyà |
ESP |
2508 |
5 |
28 |
+21 |
| 8 |
Sergi Bruguera |
ESP |
2367 |
6 |
66 |
+58 |
| 9 |
Thomas Muster |
AUT |
2353 |
2 |
12 |
−4 |
| 10 |
Marcelo Ríos |
CHI |
2317 |
6 |
13 |
+1 |
| 11 |
Richard Krajicek |
NED |
2299 |
5 |
19 |
−4 |
| 12 |
Àlex Corretja |
ESP |
2275 |
4 |
26 |
+13 |
| 13 |
Petr Korda |
CZE |
2261 |
8 |
34 |
+21 |
| 14 |
Gustavo Kuerten |
BRA |
2215 |
8 |
89 |
+73 |
| 15 |
Goran Ivanišević |
CRO |
2176 |
2 |
38 |
−12 |
| 16 |
Félix Mantilla |
ESP |
2110 |
11 |
19 |
+2 |
| 17 |
Tim Henman |
GBR |
1929 |
14 |
24 |
+7 |
| 18 |
Mark Philippoussis |
AUS |
1809 |
13 |
42 |
+11 |
| 19 |
Albert Costa |
ESP |
1778 |
9 |
23 |
−6 |
| 20 |
Cédric Pioline |
FRA |
1534 |
20 |
46 |
+2 |
|