# 1978 U.S. Clay Court Championships – Men's singles

Manuel Orantes was the defending champion but lost in the semifinals to Jimmy Connors. Top-seed Connors claimed the title and first prize money of $24,000 by defeating seventh-seeded José Higueras in the final.

## Seeds

A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.
* Jimmy Connors (champion)
* Guillermo Vilas (quarterfinals)
* Manuel Orantes (semifinals)
* Corrado Barazzutti (semifinals)
* Wojciech Fibak (withdrew — committee unaware)
* John McEnroe (quarterfinals)
* José Higueras (final)
* Ken Rosewall (first round)
* John Lloyd (first round)
* Jaime Fillol (third round)
* Adriano Panatta (third round)
* Balázs Taróczy (third round)
* José Luis Clerc (third round)
* Chris Lewis (third round)
* Hans Gildemeister (second round)
* Phil Dent (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 | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Jimmy Connors | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | John McEnroe | 6 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | John McEnroe | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Jimmy Connors | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 3 | Manuel Orantes | 5 | 1 | | | | | |
| 3 | Manuel Orantes | 6 | 6 | | 3 | Manuel Orantes | 5 | 1 | | | | | |
| | Jeff Borowiak | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jeff Borowiak | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | Jimmy Connors | 7 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 7 | José Higueras | 5 | 1 |
| | Kjell Johansson | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | José Higueras | 5 | 1 |
| 4 | Corrado Barazzutti | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Corrado Barazzutti | 6 | 6 | | 4 | Corrado Barazzutti | 6 | 6 | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | | 7 | José Higueras | 7 | 4 | 6 | | | | |
| 7 | José Higueras | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | José Higueras | 7 | 4 | 6 | | | | |
| 2 | Guillermo Vilas | 6 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |

### Top half
#### Section 1

| 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 | Quarterfinals |
| 1 | J Connors | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Frawley | 3 | 2 | | 1 | J Connors | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | H Günthardt | 2 | 7 | 6 | | H Günthardt | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | H Pfister | 6 | 5 | 4 | | | | | | 1 | J Connors | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| | S Denton | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 10 | J Fillol | 5 | 4 | | | | | |
| | G Ocleppo | 7 | 4 | 1 | | S Denton | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Chip Tolleson | 3 | 3 | | 10 | J Fillol | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | J Fillol | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | J Connors | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| 12 | B Taróczy | 5 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | 6 | J McEnroe | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Q | P Portes | 7 | 3 | 5 | 12 | B Taróczy | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | H Kary | 3 | 6 | | | G Mayer | 6 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | G Mayer | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | 12 | B Taróczy | 5 | 2 | | | | | |
| Q | S Krulevitz | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | 6 | J McEnroe | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| | V Amaya | 6 | 6 | | | V Amaya | 5 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Roger-Vasselin | 6 | 2 | 1 | 6 | J McEnroe | 7 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | J McEnroe | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### 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 | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | M Orantes | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Martin | 5 | 3 | | 3 | M Orantes | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Fagel | 6 | 6 | | | R Fagel | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | G Moretton | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | 3 | M Orantes | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | F Jauffret | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | 13 | JL Clerc | 3 | 1 | | | | | |
| | P DuPré | 6 | 7 | | | P DuPré | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Mitton | 7 | 3 | 4 | 13 | JL Clerc | 6 | 4 | 8 | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | JL Clerc | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | M Orantes | 6 | 6 |
| 15 | H Gildemeister | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | J Borowiak | 2 | 1 |
| | S Docherty | 6 | 2 | 3 | 15 | H Gildemeister | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Borowiak | 4 | 7 | 6 | | J Borowiak | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Nichols | 6 | 6 | 0 | | | | | | | J Borowiak | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| Q | Z Guerry | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | Q | Z Guerry | 7 | 3 | 4 | | | | |
| | M Davis | 4 | 2 | | Q | Z Guerry | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | T Svensson | 3 | 6 | 8 | Q | T Svensson | 6 | 4 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | K Rosewall | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half
#### 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 | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | B Drewett | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | G Hardie | 6 | 7 | | | G Hardie | 7 | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | P Feigl | 6 | 4 | 6 | Q | P Feigl | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | D Palm | 1 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | Q | P Feigl | 6 | 4 | 3 | | | | |
| | C Mayotte | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | K Johansson | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | K Johansson | 6 | 6 | | | K Johansson | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Fishbach | 2 | 6 | 6 | | M Fishbach | 4 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | J Lloyd | 6 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | K Johansson | 2 | 4 |
| 11 | A Panatta | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | C Barazzutti | 6 | 6 |
| | D Carter | 2 | 4 | | 11 | A Panatta | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | É Deblicker | 6 | 2 | 2 | | H Schoenfield | 6 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | H Schoenfield | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 11 | A Panatta | 7 | 4 | 0 | | | | |
| Q | Á Fillol | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | 4 | C Barazzutti | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | J Kriek | 6 | 6 | | | J Kriek | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | P Cornejo | 1 | 3 | | 4 | C Barazzutti | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | C Barazzutti | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 4

| 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 | Quarterfinals |
| 7 | J Higueras | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | I El Shafei | 4 | 2 | | 7 | J Higueras | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | I Țiriac | 7 | 2 | 3 | | Ž Franulović | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ž Franulović | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 7 | J Higueras | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | C Dowdeswell | 3 | 7 | 8 | | | | | | 14 | C Lewis | 3 | 0 | | | | | |
| | B Prajoux | 6 | 6 | 6 | | C Dowdeswell | 3 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | K Richardson | 1 | 1 | | 14 | C Lewis | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | C Lewis | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | J Higueras | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| 16 | P Dent | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | G Vilas | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| | B Scanlon | 2 | 1 | | 16 | P Dent | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Á Betancur | 4 | 7 | 7 | | Á Betancur | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | P Bertolucci | 6 | 5 | 5 | | | | | | 16 | P Dent | 1 | 0 | | | | | |
| | R Van't Hof | 7 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | 2 | G Vilas | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Y Noah | 6 | 6 | 6 | | Y Noah | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | D Crealy | 0 | 2 | | 2 | G Vilas | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | G Vilas | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |