# 1979 Australian Open – Women's singles

Barbara Jordan defeated Sharon Walsh in the final, 6–3, 6–3 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1979 Australian Open. It was her first major title and first tour-level title overall. Jordan was making her tournament debut.
Chris O'Neil was the reigning champion, but did not compete this year.
This was only the second women's singles final not to feature an Australian player, the first being in 1935. This was also the first all-American final at the tournament.

## Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. They are ordered by the round in which they were knocked out.
* Virginia Ruzici (first round)
* Hana Mandlíková (quarterfinals)
* Renáta Tomanová (semifinals)
* Sharon Walsh (finalist)
* Barbara Jordan (champion)
* n/a
* Janet Newberry (quarterfinals)
* Cynthia Doerner (quarterfinals)
Note: The sixth seed withdrew and was replaced by Cathy Griffiths.

## 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 | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| | Mary Sawyer | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Janet Newberry | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Janet Newberry | 6 | 3 | | Mary Sawyer | 6 | 3 | | | | | |
| | | | | 4 | Sharon Walsh | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| 4 | Sharon Walsh | 6 | 6 | 4 | Sharon Walsh | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Michèle Gurdal | 0 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Michèle Gurdal | 0 | 3 | | | | | | 4 | Sharon Walsh | 3 | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | 5 | Barbara Jordan | 6 | 6 |
| 8 | Cynthia Doerner | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Barbara Jordan | 6 | 6 |
| 3 | Renáta Tomanová | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Renáta Tomanová | 6 | 6 | 3 | Renáta Tomanová | 7 | 3 | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | 5 | Barbara Jordan | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 5 | Barbara Jordan | 6 | 6 | 5 | Barbara Jordan | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 2 | Hana Mandlíková | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |

### Earlier rounds
#### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 1 | V Ruzici | 6 | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Sawyer | 0 | 6 | 6 | | M Sawyer | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | N Sato | 7 | 6 | | | N Sato | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | E Little | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | M Sawyer | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| | L Cassell | 6 | 0 | 3 | | | | | | 7 | J Newberry | 6 | 3 | | | | |
| | J Chaloner | 2 | 6 | 6 | | J Chaloner | 6 | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | D Evers | 6 | 6 | | 7 | J Newberry | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | J Newberry | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | M Sawyer | 6 | 3 |
| 4 | S Walsh | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 4 | S Walsh | 7 | 6 |
| | M Mesker | 7 | 2 | 4 | 4 | S Walsh | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Dimond | 5 | 4 | | | J Diesslin | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Diesslin | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | 4 | S Walsh | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | K Pratt | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | M Gurdal | 0 | 3 | | | | |
| Q | C Newton | 1 | 3 | | | K Pratt | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Gurdal | 6 | 4 | 6 | | M Gurdal | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| LL | C Griffiths | 4 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 8 | C Doerner | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | K Ruddell | 1 | 4 | | 8 | C Doerner | 5 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Leo | 6 | 4 | 1 | | S Saliba | 7 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Saliba | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 8 | C Doerner | 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| | P Whytcross | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 3 | R Tomanová | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | M Wikstedt | 7 | 3 | 2 | | P Whytcross | 4 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | N Gregory | 6 | 5 | | 3 | R Tomanová | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | R Tomanová | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | R Tomanová | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| 5 | B Jordan | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | B Jordan | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| | K Hallam | 3 | 2 | | 5 | B Jordan | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | R Catton | 3 | 1 | | Q | A Minter | 5 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | A Minter | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 5 | B Jordan | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| Q | B Randall | 6 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | 2 | H Mandlíková | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| | L Harrison | 4 | 6 | 6 | | L Harrison | 4 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Walker | 4 | 1 | | 2 | H Mandlíková | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | H Mandlíková | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |