1978 French Open – Women's singles
# 1978 French Open – Women's singles

Virginia Ruzici defeated the defending champion Mima Jaušovec in the final, 6–2, 6–2 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1978 French Open.

## Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Virginia Ruzici is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.

* Mima Jaušovec (finalist)
* Virginia Ruzici (champion)
* Regina Maršíková (semifinals)
* Nancy Richey (second round)
* Kathy May (quarterfinals)
* Janet Newberry (first round)
* Katja Ebbinghaus (second round)
* Laura duPont (first round)
* Renáta Tomanová (second round)
* Florența Mihai (first round)
* Jeanne Evert (second round)
* Michelle Tyler (second round)
* Fiorella Bonicelli (quarterfinals)
* Mariana Simionescu (third round)
* Mareen Louie (second round)
* Caroline Stoll (first round)

## Draw

### Key

* Q = Qualifier
* WC = Wild card
* LL = Lucky loser
* r = Retired

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Mima Jaušovec | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Kathy May | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Kathy May | 4 | 2 | | 1 | Mima Jaušovec | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | 3 | Regina Maršíková | 3 | 4 | | | | |
| 3 | Regina Maršíková | 6 | 6 | | 3 | Regina Maršíková | 3 | 4 | | | | |
| Q | Helga Masthoff | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Helga Masthoff | 3 | 3 | | | | | | 1 | Mima Jaušovec | 2 | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | 2 | Virginia Ruzici | 6 | 6 |
| Q | Mirka Bendlová | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Virginia Ruzici | 6 | 6 |
| | Brigitte Simon | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Brigitte Simon | 6 | 6 | | | Brigitte Simon | 3 | 0 | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Virginia Ruzici | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 13 | Fiorella Bonicelli | 7 | 4 | 6 | 2 | Virginia Ruzici | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 2 | Virginia Ruzici | 6 | 6 | 8 | | | | | | | | |

### Earlier rounds

**Section 1**

| 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 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Jaušovec | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Walsh | 1 | 3 | 1 | Jaušovec | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Nagelsen | 6 | 7 | | Nagelsen | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Hanika | 4 | 5 | | | | | | 1 | Jaušovec | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| Q | Bowrey | 7 | 6 | | | | | | Q | Bowrey | 1 | 3 | | | | |
| | Coles | 5 | 4 | Q | Bowrey | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Tyler | 6 | 6 | 12 | Tyler | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gerulaitis | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Jaušovec | 6 | 6 |
| 9 | Tomanová | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | 5 | May | 4 | 2 |
| Q | Gregory | 1 | 5 | 9 | Tomanová | 3 | 7 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | Strachoňová | 7 | 6 | | Strachoňová | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Giscafré | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | Strachoňová | 1 | 0 | | | | |
| | Sparre-Viragh | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 5 | May | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Wikstedt | 3 | 4 | | Sparre-Viragh | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | May | 6 | 6 | 5 | May | 4 | 6 | 8 | | | | | | | | |
| | Ganz | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

**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 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | Maršíková | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Whytcross | 5 | 1 | | 3 | Maršíková | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Desfor | 6 | 6 | 6 | | Desfor | 0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Anliot | 7 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | 3 | Maršíková | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| Q | Budařová | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 14 | Simionescu | 1 | 4 | | | | |
| | Fayter | 1 | 3 | | Q | Budařová | 7 | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Simionescu | 6 | 6 | | 14 | Simionescu | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Evers | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Maršíková | 6 | 6 |
| 15 | Louie | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | Q | Masthoff | 3 | 3 |
| | Harris | 2 | 3 | | 15 | Louie | 6 | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Masthoff | 4 | 6 | 6 | Q | Masthoff | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Madruga | 6 | 0 | 4 | | | | | | Q | Masthoff | 7 | 6 | | | | |
| | Hunt | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | Hunt | 6 | 4 | | | | |
| | Ornstein | 2 | 3 | | | Hunt | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Ebbinghaus | 6 | 2 | 6 | 7 | Ebbinghaus | 4 | 7 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | O'Neil | 2 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

**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 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Q | Bendlová | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Du Pont | 4 | 6 | 3 | Q | Bendlová | 1 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Rual | 6 | 6 | | | Rual | 6 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | Klein | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | Q | Bendlová | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Medrado | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | Medrado | 3 | 4 | | | | |
| | Riedel | 4 | 6 | 3 | | Medrado | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Evert | 6 | 6 | 6 | 11 | Evert | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Simmonds | 7 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | Q | Bendlová | 3 | 3 |
| | Simon | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | Simon | 6 | 6 |
| 10 | Mihai | 5 | 2 | | | Simon | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | Tobin | 6 | 6 | | Q | Tobin | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stratton | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | Simon | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | González | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | González | 4 | 3 | | | | |
| | Bohm | 4 | 3 | | | González | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Richey | 6 | 6 | | 4 | Richey | 4 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | Bostrom | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

**Section 4**

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Teeguarden | 7 | 2 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Newberry | 5 | 6 | 5 | | Teeguarden | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Eisterlehner | 4 | 6 | 6 | | Eisterlehner | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Smith | 6 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | Teeguarden | 3 | 7 | 4 | | | | | |
| Q | Mandlíková | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 13 | Bonicelli | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Pinterová | 2 | 1 | | Q | Mandlíková | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Bonicelli | 6 | 6 | | 13 | Bonicelli | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fuchs | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 13 | Bonicelli | 7 | 4 | 6 |
| | Thibault | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Ruzici | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| 16 | Stoll | 3 | 4 | | | Thibault | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Latham | 4 | 6 | 6 | | Latham | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lovera | 6 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | Thibault | 3 | 2 | | | | | | |
| | Ekblom | 6 | 7 | | | | | | 2 | Ruzici | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | Doerner | 2 | 5 | | | Ekblom | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Ruzici | 6 | 6 | | 2 | Ruzici | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Blackwood | 4 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
