# 1978 Australian Open – Women's singles

Chris O'Neil defeated Betsy Nagelsen in the final, 6–3, 7–6$^{(7–3)}$ to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1978 Australian Open. It was her first and only major singles title. O'Neil did not lose a set during the tournament.
Evonne Goolagong was the reigning champion, but she did not compete this year due to injury.

## Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Chris O'Neil is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.
* Sue Barker (quarterfinals)
* Renáta Tomanová (quarterfinals)
* Beth Norton (second round)
* Amanda Tobin (first round)
* Renee Blount (second round)
* Cynthia Doerner (first round)
* Withdrawn
* Betsy Nagelsen (finalist)

## 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 | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Sue Barker | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Dianne Evers | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| | Dianne Evers | 6 | 7 | | Dianne Evers | 0 | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | Chris O'Neil | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Chris O'Neil | 7 | 6 | | Chris O'Neil | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| Q | Dorte Ekner | 5 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Dorte Ekner | 5 | 1 | | | | | | Chris O'Neil | 6 | 7 |
| | | | | | | | | 8 | Betsy Nagelsen | 3 | 6 |
| | Mary Sawyer | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | 8 | Betsy Nagelsen | 3 | 6 |
| Q | Christine Matison | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Christine Matison | 6 | 6 | Q | Christine Matison | 5 | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | 8 | Betsy Nagelsen | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| 8 | Betsy Nagelsen | 6 | 6 | 8 | Betsy Nagelsen | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| 2 | Renáta Tomanová | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | |

### 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 |
| 1 | S Barker | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | K Gulley | 0 | 2 | | 1 | S Barker | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| | M Gurdal | 6 | 6 | | | M Gurdal | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | W Gilchrist | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | S Barker | 2 | 6 | | | |
| | D Evers | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | D Evers | 6 | 7 | | | |
| | K Ruddell | 2 | 6 | 1 | | D Evers | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | E Ekblom | 4 | 3 | | 5 | R Blount | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | R Blount | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | D Evers | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | B Norton | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | C O'Neil | 6 | 6 |
| Q | J Walker | 1 | 4 | | 3 | B Norton | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | C O'Neil | 6 | 6 | | | C O'Neil | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | L Harrison | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | C O'Neil | 7 | 6 | | | |
| | H Eisterlehner | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | Q | D Ekner | 5 | 1 | | | |
| | N Sato | 2 | 4 | | | H Eisterlehner | 6 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Q | D Ekner | 6 | 6 | | Q | D Ekner | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| 6 | C Doerner | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### 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 |
| LL | B Hermansen | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | P Bostrom | 6 | 7 | | | P Bostrom | 6 | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | M Sawyer | 6 | 7 | | | M Sawyer | 4 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| | K Hallam | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | M Sawyer | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | K Sands | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | Q | C Matison | 4 | 3 | | | | |
| | S Saliba | 2 | 0 | | | K Sands | 6 | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| Q | C Matison | 6 | 6 | | Q | C Matison | 1 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | A Tobin | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | Q | C Matison | 5 | 4 |
| 8 | B Nagelsen | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | B Nagelsen | 7 | 6 |
| | S Simmonds | 1 | 3 | | 8 | B Nagelsen | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | N Bohm | 6 | 6 | | | N Bohm | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Chaloner | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | 8 | B Nagelsen | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | N Gregory | 6 | 1 | 6 | | | | | | 2 | R Tomanová | 4 | 4 | | | | |
| | K Pratt | 3 | 6 | 3 | | N Gregory | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | P Whytcross | 4 | 1 | | 2 | R Tomanová | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | R Tomanová | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |