title: 1978 South American Championships – Singles
text: # 1978 South American Championships – Singles
  
  Guillermo Vilas was the defending champion but did not compete that year.
  
  José Luis Clerc won in the final 6–4, 6–4 against Víctor Pecci.
  
  ## Seeds
  
  A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.
  
  * Corrado Barazzutti (semifinals)
  * Harold Solomon (semifinals)
  * José Higueras (quarterfinals)
  * José Luis Clerc (champion)
  * Hans Gildemeister (first round)
  * Paolo Bertolucci (second round)
  * Jaime Fillol (first round)
  * Chris Lewis (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
  
  | First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | C Barazzutti | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | B Prajoux | 4 | 0 | | 1 | C Barazzutti | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | P Cornejo | 3 | 6 | 2 | | H Varela | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | H Varela | 6 | 1 | 6 | | | | | | 1 | C Barazzutti | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
  | | A Muñoz | 4 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | C Kirmayr | 4 | 7 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
  | | C Kirmayr | 6 | 1 | 6 | | C Kirmayr | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | R Gehring | 6 | 2 | 6 | | R Gehring | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 7 | J Fillol | 3 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | C Barazzutti | 4 | 4 | | | | | |
  | 3 | J Higueras | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | V Pecci | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
  | | P McNamee | 1 | 2 | | 3 | J Higueras | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | I Molina | 6 | 6 | 4 | | A Pattison | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | A Pattison | 4 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | 3 | J Higueras | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | J L Damiani | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | V Pecci | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | P Dominguez | 6 | 2 | 1 | | J L Damiani | 3 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | V Pecci | 6 | 6 | | | V Pecci | 6 | 1 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 5 | H Gildemeister | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Víctor Pecci | 4 | 4 |
  | 6 | P Bertolucci | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | José Luis Clerc | 6 | 6 |
  | | F Dalla Fontana | 4 | 2 | | 6 | P Bertolucci | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | A Maurer | 6 | 5 | 6 | | R Ycaza | 4 | 6 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | R Ycaza | 4 | 7 | 8 | | | | | | | R Ycaza | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | W Zirngibl | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | 4 | J L Clerc | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | G Barbosa | 3 | 5 | | | W Zirngibl | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | R Cano | 1 | 2 | | 4 | J L Clerc | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 4 | J L Clerc | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | J L Clerc | 6 | 1 | 6 | | | | |
  | 8 | C Lewis | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | H Solomon | 2 | 6 | 2 | | | | |
  | | G Hardie | 2 | 2 | | 8 | C Lewis | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | J Andrew | 4 | 7 | 6 | | J Andrew | 7 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | L Álvarez | 6 | 5 | 1 | | | | | | 8 | C Lewis | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | J Soares | 6 | 3 | 9 | | | | | | 2 | H Solomon | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | P Kronk | 2 | 6 | 7 | | J Soares | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | | V Winitsky | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | H Solomon | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  | 2 | H Solomon | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
  