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.

Men's singles
1978 U.S. Clay Court Championships
Champion	Jimmy Connors
Runner-up	José Higueras
Score	7–2, 6–1
Draw	64
Seeds	16

Seeds

A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.

1. Jimmy Connors (champion)
2. Guillermo Vilas (quarterfinals)
3. Manuel Orantes (semifinals)
4. Corrado Barazzutti (semifinals)
5. Wojciech Fibak (withdrew — committee unaware)
6. John McEnroe (quarterfinals)
7. José Higueras (final)
8. Ken Rosewall (first round)
9. John Lloyd (first round)
10. Jaime Fillol (third round)
11. Adriano Panatta (third round)
12. Balázs Taróczy (third round)
13. José Luis Clerc (third round)
14. Chris Lewis (third round)
15. Hans Gildemeister (second round)
16. 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							Semifinals							Final
	1	Jimmy Connors	3	6	6
	6	John McEnroe	6	1	1
								1	Jimmy Connors	7	6
								3	Manuel Orantes	5	1
	3	Manuel Orantes	6	6
		Jeff Borowiak	2	1
															1	Jimmy Connors	7	6
															7	José Higueras	5	1
		Kjell Johansson	2	4
	4	Corrado Barazzutti	6	6
								4	Corrado Barazzutti	6	6	2
								7	José Higueras	7	4	6
	7	José Higueras	4	6	6
	2	Guillermo Vilas	6	4	3

Top half

Section 1

	First round							Second round							Third round							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							Second round							Third round							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							Second round							Third round							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							Second round							Third round							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

External links

• "Singles Draw". atpworldtour.com. ATP Tour, Inc. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
• "USCC-Indianapolis 1978". itftennis.com. ITF Licensing (UK) Ltd. Retrieved May 23, 2016.