# 1978 French Open – Women's singles

Virginia Ruzici defeated defending champion Mima Jaušovec in the final, 6–2, 6–2 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1978 French Open. It was her first and only major title.

## Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Virginia Ruzici is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.
* Mima Jaušovec (finalist)
* Virginia Ruzici (champion)
* Regina Maršíková (semifinals)
* Nancy Richey (second round)
* Kathy May (quarterfinals)
* Janet Newberry (first round)
* Katja Ebbinghaus (second round)
* Laura duPont (first round)
* Renáta Tomanová (second round)
* Florența Mihai (first round)
* Jeanne Evert (second round)
* Michelle Tyler (second round)
* Fiorella Bonicelli (quarterfinals)
* Mariana Simionescu (third round)
* Mareen Louie (second round)
* Caroline Stoll (first round)

## Draw
### Key

* Q = Qualifier
* WC = Wild card
* LL = Lucky loser
* r = Retired

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Mima Jaušovec | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Kathy May | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Kathy May | 4 | 2 | | 1 | Mima Jaušovec | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | 3 | Regina Maršíková | 3 | 4 | | | | |
| 3 | Regina Maršíková | 6 | 6 | | 3 | Regina Maršíková | 3 | 4 | | | | |
| Q | Helga Masthoff | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Helga Masthoff | 3 | 3 | | | | | | 1 | Mima Jaušovec | 2 | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | 2 | Virginia Ruzici | 6 | 6 |
| Q | Mirka Bendlová | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Virginia Ruzici | 6 | 6 |
| | Brigitte Simon | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Brigitte Simon | 6 | 6 | | | Brigitte Simon | 3 | 0 | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Virginia Ruzici | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 13 | Fiorella Bonicelli | 7 | 4 | 6 | 2 | Virginia Ruzici | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 2 | Virginia Ruzici | 6 | 6 | 8 | | | | | | | | |

### Earlier rounds
#### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 1 | Jaušovec | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Walsh | 1 | 3 | 1 | Jaušovec | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Nagelsen | 6 | 7 | | Nagelsen | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Hanika | 4 | 5 | | | | | | 1 | Jaušovec | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| Q | Bowrey | 7 | 6 | | | | | | Q | Bowrey | 1 | 3 | | | | |
| | Coles | 5 | 4 | Q | Bowrey | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Tyler | 6 | 6 | 12 | Tyler | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gerulaitis | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Jaušovec | 6 | 6 |
| 9 | Tomanová | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | 5 | May | 4 | 2 |
| Q | Gregory | 1 | 5 | 9 | Tomanová | 3 | 7 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | Strachoňová | 7 | 6 | | Strachoňová | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Giscafré | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | Strachoňová | 1 | 0 | | | | |
| | Sparre-Viragh | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 5 | May | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Wikstedt | 3 | 4 | | Sparre-Viragh | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | May | 6 | 6 | 5 | May | 4 | 6 | 8 | | | | | | | | |
| | Ganz | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | Maršíková | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Whytcross | 5 | 1 | | 3 | Maršíková | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Desfor | 6 | 6 | 6 | | Desfor | 0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Anliot | 7 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | 3 | Maršíková | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| Q | Budařová | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 14 | Simionescu | 1 | 4 | | | | |
| | Fayter | 1 | 3 | | Q | Budařová | 7 | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Simionescu | 6 | 6 | | 14 | Simionescu | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Evers | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Maršíková | 6 | 6 |
| 15 | Louie | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | Q | Masthoff | 3 | 3 |
| | Harris | 2 | 3 | | 15 | Louie | 6 | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Masthoff | 4 | 6 | 6 | Q | Masthoff | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Madruga | 6 | 0 | 4 | | | | | | Q | Masthoff | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| | Hunt | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | Hunt | 6 | 4 | | | | |
| | Ornstein | 2 | 3 | | | Hunt | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Ebbinghaus | 6 | 2 | 6 | 7 | Ebbinghaus | 4 | 7 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | O'Neil | 2 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 3

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| Q | Bendlová | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Du Pont | 4 | 6 | 3 | Q | Bendlová | 1 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Rual | 6 | 6 | | | Rual | 6 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | Klein | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | Q | Bendlová | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Medrado | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | Medrado | 3 | 4 | | | | |
| | Riedel | 4 | 6 | 3 | | Medrado | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Evert | 6 | 6 | 6 | 11 | Evert | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Simmonds | 7 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | Q | Bendlová | 3 | 3 |
| | Simon | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | Simon | 6 | 6 |
| 10 | Mihai | 5 | 2 | | | Simon | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Tobin | 6 | 6 | | Q | Tobin | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stratton | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | Simon | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | González | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | González | 4 | 3 | | | | |
| | Bohm | 4 | 3 | | | González | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Richey | 6 | 6 | | 4 | Richey | 4 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | Bostrom | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 4

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | Teeguarden | 7 | 2 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Newberry | 5 | 6 | 5 | | Teeguarden | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Eisterlehner | 4 | 6 | 6 | | Eisterlehner | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Smith | 6 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | Teeguarden | 3 | 7 | 4 | | | | | |
| Q | Mandlíková | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 13 | Bonicelli | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Pinterová | 2 | 1 | | Q | Mandlíková | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Bonicelli | 6 | 6 | | 13 | Bonicelli | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fuchs | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 13 | Bonicelli | 7 | 4 | 6 |
| | Thibault | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Ruzici | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| 16 | Stoll | 3 | 4 | | | Thibault | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Latham | 4 | 6 | 6 | | Latham | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lovera | 6 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | Thibault | 3 | 2 | | | | | | |
| | Ekblom | 6 | 7 | | | | | | 2 | Ruzici | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | Doerner | 2 | 5 | | | Ekblom | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Ruzici | 6 | 6 | | 2 | Ruzici | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Blackwood | 4 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |