# 1978 Virginia Slims of Philadelphia – Singles

Chris Evert was the defending champion and successfully defended her title, by defeating Billie Jean King 6–0, 6–4 in the final.

## Seeds

* Chris Evert (champion)
* Evonne Goolagong (withdrew)
* Betty Stöve (quarterfinals)
* Tracy Austin (quarterfinals)
* Virginia Wade (semifinals)
* Billie Jean King (final)
* Wendy Turnbull (quarterfinals)
* Kerry Reid (quarterfinals)

## 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

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Chris Evert | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 5 | Virginia Wade | 3 | 2 | | | | |
| 5 | Virginia Wade | 3 | 2 | 1 | Chris Evert | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | 6 | Billie Jean King | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Billie Jean King | 6 | 6 | 6 | Billie Jean King | 0 | 4 |
| | Virginia Ruzici | 1 | 2 | | | | |

### Top half

| 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 | C Evert | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | L duPont | 2 | 2 | | 1 | C Evert | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | R Maršíková | 6 | 6 | | | R Maršíková | 6 | 3 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | L Antonoplis | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | C Evert | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 7 | W Turnbull | 3 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | 7 | W Turnbull | 2 | 1 | | | | |
| | T Holladay | 6 | 4 | 6 | 7 | W Turnbull | 7$^5$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Jaušovec | 6 | 2 | 4 | | D Fromholtz | 6$^2$ | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | D Fromholtz | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | C Evert | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | T Austin | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | V Wade | 3 | 2 |
| | B Potter | 2 | 1 | | 4 | T Austin | 6 | 7$^5$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | L Hunt | 3 | 0 | | | K May | 3 | 6$^1$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | K May | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 4 | T Austin | 4 | 4 | | | | |
| 5 | V Wade | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | 5 | V Wade | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | K Shaw | 5 | 2 | | 5 | V Wade | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | G Coles | 6 | 6 | | | G Coles | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Gerulaitis | 3 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half

| 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 |
| | Z Liess | 7 | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Tomanová | 5 | 7 | 6 | | R Tomanová | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | F Mihai | 4 | 3 | | 6 | BJ King | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | BJ King | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 6 | BJ King | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | P Teeguarden | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | 3 | B Stöve | 1 | 3 | | | | |
| | Y Vermaak | 6 | 6 | | | Y Vermaak | 7$^5$ | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | F Dürr | 3 | 2 | | 3 | B Stöve | 6$^2$ | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | B Stöve | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | BJ King | 6 | 6 |
| | J Russell | 2 | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | V Ruzici | 1 | 2 |
| | R Casals | 6 | 1 | 7 | | R Casals | 6 | 6$^3$ | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | H Anliot | 3 | 1 | | 8 | K Reid | 3 | 7$^5$ | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | K Reid | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 8 | K Reid | 1 | 5 | | | | |
| | M Tyler | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | V Ruzici | 6 | 7 | | | | |
| | J Newberry | 4 | 4 | | | M Tyler | 6 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | V Ruzici | 6 | 6 | | | V Ruzici | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| LL | K Ebbinghaus | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |