1978 U.S. Clay Court Championships – Men's singles

Men's singles
1978 U.S. Clay Court Championships
Champion Jimmy Connors
Runner-up José Higueras
Score7–2, 6–1
Draw64
Seeds16

Manuel Orantes was the defending champion but lost in the semifinals to Jimmy Connors. Top-seed Connors claimed the title and first prize money of $24,000 by defeating seventh-seeded José Higueras in the final.[1]

Seeds

A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.

  1. Jimmy Connors (champion)
  2. Guillermo Vilas (quarterfinals)
  3. Manuel Orantes (semifinals)
  4. Corrado Barazzutti (semifinals)
  5. Wojciech Fibak (withdrew — committee unaware) [2]
  6. John McEnroe (quarterfinals)
  7. José Higueras (final)
  8. Ken Rosewall (first round)
  9. John Lloyd (first round)
  10. Jaime Fillol (third round)
  11. Adriano Panatta (third round)
  12. Balázs Taróczy (third round)
  13. José Luis Clerc (third round)
  14. Chris Lewis (third round)
  15. Hans Gildemeister (second round)
  16. Phil Dent (third round)

Draw

Key

Finals

Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
               
1 Jimmy Connors 3 6 6
6 John McEnroe 6 1 1
1 Jimmy Connors 7 6  
3 Manuel Orantes 5 1  
3 Manuel Orantes 6 6  
  Jeff Borowiak 2 1  
1 Jimmy Connors 7 6  
7 José Higueras 5 1  
  Kjell Johansson 2 4  
4 Corrado Barazzutti 6 6  
4 Corrado Barazzutti 6 6 2
7 José Higueras 7 4 6
7 José Higueras 4 6 6
2 Guillermo Vilas 6 4 3

Top half

Section 1

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
1 J Connors 6 6  
  R Frawley 3 2   1 J Connors 6 6  
  H Günthardt 2 7 6   H Günthardt 3 2  
  H Pfister 6 5 4 1 J Connors 7 6  
  S Denton 5 6 6 10 J Fillol 5 4  
  G Ocleppo 7 4 1   S Denton 1 2  
  Chip Tolleson 3 3   10 J Fillol 6 6  
10 J Fillol 6 6   1 J Connors 3 6 6
12 B Taróczy 5 6 7 6 J McEnroe 6 1 1
Q P Portes 7 3 5 12 B Taróczy 2 6 6
  H Kary 3 6     G Mayer 6 4 4
  G Mayer 6 7   12 B Taróczy 5 2  
Q S Krulevitz 3 4   6 J McEnroe 7 6  
  V Amaya 6 6     V Amaya 5 6 2
  C Roger-Vasselin 6 2 1 6 J McEnroe 7 2 6
6 J McEnroe 3 6 6

Section 2

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
3 M Orantes 7 6  
  B Martin 5 3   3 M Orantes 6 7  
  R Fagel 6 6     R Fagel 2 5  
Q G Moretton 4 2   3 M Orantes 6 6  
  F Jauffret 4 6   13 JL Clerc 3 1  
  P DuPré 6 7     P DuPré 2 6 6
  B Mitton 7 3 4 13 JL Clerc 6 4 8
13 JL Clerc 5 6 6 3 M Orantes 6 6  
15 H Gildemeister 3 6 6   J Borowiak 2 1  
  S Docherty 6 2 3 15 H Gildemeister 3 4  
  J Borowiak 4 7 6   J Borowiak 6 6  
  B Nichols 6 6 0   J Borowiak 5 6 6
Q Z Guerry 6 6   Q Z Guerry 7 3 4
  M Davis 4 2   Q Z Guerry 2 6 6
Q T Svensson 3 6 8 Q T Svensson 6 4 0
8 K Rosewall 6 2 6

Bottom half

Section 3

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
  B Drewett 2 6  
  G Hardie 6 7     G Hardie 7 4 2
Q P Feigl 6 4 6 Q P Feigl 5 6 6
  D Palm 1 6 2 Q P Feigl 6 4 3
  C Mayotte 2 1     K Johansson 4 6 6
  K Johansson 6 6     K Johansson 6 3 6
  M Fishbach 2 6 6   M Fishbach 4 6 2
9 J Lloyd 6 3 2   K Johansson 2 4  
11 A Panatta 6 6   4 C Barazzutti 6 6  
  D Carter 2 4   11 A Panatta 3 6 6
  É Deblicker 6 2 2   H Schoenfield 6 4 3
  H Schoenfield 4 6 6 11 A Panatta 7 4 0
Q Á Fillol 2 4   4 C Barazzutti 5 6 6
  J Kriek 6 6     J Kriek 2 6  
  P Cornejo 1 3   4 C Barazzutti 6 7  
4 C Barazzutti 6 6  

Section 4

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
7 J Higueras 6 6  
  I El Shafei 4 2   7 J Higueras 7 6  
  I Țiriac 7 2 3   Ž Franulović 6 1  
  Ž Franulović 5 6 6 7 J Higueras 6 6  
  C Dowdeswell 3 7 8 14 C Lewis 3 0  
  B Prajoux 6 6 6   C Dowdeswell 3 6 2
  K Richardson 1 1   14 C Lewis 6 4 6
14 C Lewis 6 6   7 J Higueras 4 6 6
16 P Dent 6 6   2 G Vilas 6 4 3
  B Scanlon 2 1   16 P Dent 6 6  
  Á Betancur 4 7 7   Á Betancur 4 4  
Q P Bertolucci 6 5 5 16 P Dent 1 0  
  R Van't Hof 7 3 4 2 G Vilas 6 6  
  Y Noah 6 6 6   Y Noah 1 0  
  D Crealy 0 2   2 G Vilas 6 6  
2 G Vilas 6 6  

References

  1. ^ "Connors claims clay court crown". The Deseret News. UPI. August 14, 1978. p. 2 B.
  2. ^ Williams, Bob (August 7, 1978). "Connors, Barazzutti, Fillol Open Clay Courts Today". The Indianapolis Star. p. 24.