# 1978 Australian Open – Men's singles

Guillermo Vilas defeated John Marks in the final, 6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1978 Australian Open. It was his first Australian Open title and third major title overall.
Vitas Gerulaitis was the reigning champion, but did not compete this year.
This tournament marked the final major appearance of four-time champion and former world No. 1 Ken Rosewall; he was defeated in the third round by Peter Feigl.

## Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Guillermo Vilas is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.
* Guillermo Vilas (champion)
* José Luis Clerc (first round)
* Arthur Ashe (semifinals)
* Tim Gullikson (second round)
* Wojtek Fibak (third round)
* John Alexander (quarterfinals)
* Ken Rosewall (third round)
* Victor Amaya (second round)
* Hank Pfister (semifinals)
* Yannick Noah (first round)
* Tony Roche (quarterfinals)
* Peter Feigl (quarterfinals)
* Kim Warwick (third round)
* Geoff Masters (first round)
* Bernard Mitton (second round)
* Allan Stone (third round)

## Draw
### Key

* Q = Qualifier
* WC = Wild card
* LL = Lucky loser
* Alt = Alternate
* SE = Special exempt
* PR = Protected ranking
* ITF = ITF entry
* JE = Junior exempt
* w/o = Walkover
* r = Retired
* d = Defaulted
* SR = Special ranking

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Guillermo Vilas | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Tony Roche | 6 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Tony Roche | 6 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Guillermo Vilas | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | 9 | Hank Pfister | 2 | 0 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | Paul Kronk | 5 | 3 | 3 | | | 9 | Hank Pfister | 2 | 0 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Hank Pfister | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Hank Pfister | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Guillermo Vilas | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | John Marks | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| 12 | Peter Feigl | 6 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | John Marks | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| 3 | Arthur Ashe | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Arthur Ashe | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 3 | Arthur Ashe | 4 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | John Marks | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 9 | | | | | | |
| 6 | John Alexander | 4 | 4 | 5 | | | | John Marks | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 9 | | | | | | |
| | John Marks | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 1 | G Vilas | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | T Rocavert | 3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 1 | G Vilas | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Drewett | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | B Drewett | 4 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Ruffels | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | G Vilas | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| | M Edmondson | 3 | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | 16 | A Stone | 4 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | B Fairlie | 6 | 2 | 1 | 6 | | M Edmondson | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | T Wilkison | 3 | 2 | 3 | | 16 | A Stone | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | A Stone | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | G Vilas | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| 11 | T Roche | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | T Roche | 6 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| | I Țiriac | 3 | 0 | 3 | | 11 | T Roche | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | G Hardie | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | G Hardie | 3 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Gardiner | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | 11 | T Roche | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| Q | D Collings | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | Q | D Collings | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | |
| | G Moretton | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | Q | D Collings | 6 | 3 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Menon | 6 | 6 | 2 | | 8 | V Amaya | 4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | V Amaya | 7 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | T Gullikson | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | P McNamee | 2 | 2 | 6 | | | 4 | T Gullikson | 2 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Kachel | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | | | P McNamara | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | P McNamara | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | P McNamara | 2 | 2 | 5 | | | | | |
| Q | J DiLouie | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | P Kronk | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | R Frawley | 3 | 2 | 1 | | | Q | J DiLouie | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | P Kronk | 7 | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | P Kronk | 2 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | G Masters | 5 | 6 | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | P Kronk | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| 9 | H Pfister | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | H Pfister | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| | J Smith | 3 | 2 | 2 | | | 9 | H Pfister | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Drysdale | 3 | 2 | 4 | | | | S Docherty | 5 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Docherty | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 9 | H Pfister | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| | D Carter | 4 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | 5 | W Fibak | 3 | 6 | 1 | | | | | |
| | J James | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | | J James | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | D Whyte | 4 | 1 | 2 | | | 5 | W Fibak | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | W Fibak | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Section 3

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 7 | K Rosewall | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | C Stansbury | 2 | 4 | 3 | | | 7 | K Rosewall | 2 | 7 | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Lewis | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | | | S Stewart | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Stewart | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | 7 | K Rosewall | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 8 | | | | | | | |
| | I El Shafei | 7 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | 12 | P Feigl | 2 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 10 | | | | | | | |
| | B Giltinan | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 | | B Giltinan | 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Dibley | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | | 12 | P Feigl | 6 | 3 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | P Feigl | 6 | 1 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | P Feigl | 6 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 7 |
| 13 | K Warwick | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | A Ashe | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 9 |
| | C Freyss | 4 | 4 | 4 | | | 13 | K Warwick | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | D Crealy | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | D Crealy | 6 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | W Maher | 4 | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | | 13 | K Warwick | 6 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | |
| | R Moore | 7 | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | 3 | A Ashe | 2 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| Q | R Krishnan | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | | | R Moore | 4 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Kleege | 3 | 3 | 6 | | | 3 | A Ashe | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | A Ashe | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Section 4

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 6 | J Alexander | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | P Campbell | 4 | 6 | 4 | | | 6 | J Alexander | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | DR Bohrnstedt | 2 | 2 | 3 | | | | R Simpson | 3 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Simpson | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | 6 | J Alexander | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| Q | A Jarrett | 2 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | B Carmichael | 3 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | |
| | B Carmichael | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | B Carmichael | 6 | 2 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Letcher | 3 | 3 | 7 | 1 | | 15 | B Mitton | 4 | 6 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | B Mitton | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | J Alexander | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 10 | Y Noah | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | J Marks | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| | R Case | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | R Case | 1 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Sadri | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | J Sadri | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | N Phillips | 3 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | J Sadri | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | | | | | |
| | P Dent | 7 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | J Marks | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | |
| | P Portes | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | | P Dent | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Marks | 6 | | | | | | J Marks | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | JL Clerc | 7 | r. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |