1978 (Age 34-35)

Billie Jean King's only Grand Slam title during 1978 was in women's doubles at the U. S. Open, in partnership with Martina Navratilova. King did not play the Australian Open or the French Open. She won all 6 of her Federation Cup and Wightman Cup matches.

King was hampered in singles all year by injury, including a painful left heel spur that required major surgery in December 1978. She did not play a singles match after Wimbledon. She finally had major surgery on December 22, 1978, lasting 3.5 hours.

Even so, King was ranked fifth in the year-ending "Women's International Computer Rankings,"  which the Women's Tennis Association released on December 10, 1978.

The following lists the year-end top 10 players, King's 1978 singles record against them, their total ranking points, the number of their events and matches considered for ranking purposes, and their ranking points average:

#01   0-3   282   18     87   15.660   Martina Navratilova
#02   0-3   169   10*   56   14.111   Chris Evert
#03   1-0   152   13     55   11.688   Evonne Goolagong Cawley
#04   1-1   217   22     92     9.879   Virginia Wade
#05   0-0   110   10*   35     9.183   Billie Jean King
#06   0-0   119   14     64     8.531   Tracy Austin
#07   3-0   172   21     74     8.171   Wendy Turnbull
#08   2-0   154   21     72     7.336   Betty Stove
#09   0-0   156   22     81     7.111   Kerry Melville Reid
#10   1-1     84   12     32     7.032   Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat

         8-8  50.0%  Total

*When determining a player's points average, the divisor is the greater of: 12, and the number of tournaments played.

Here is the same information for a few notable players who finished the year outside the top 10:

#11   0-0   82   13     36    6.294   Rosemary Casals
#13   0-0   72   12     45    5.967   Pam Shriver
#24   1-0   56   15     37    3.700   Sue Barker
#30   0-0   97   30     64    3.236   Lesley Hunt
#31   0-0   37   12     28    3.109   Francoise Durr
#45   0-0   35   14     51    2.467   Hana Mandlikova
#47   0-0   29   09*   15    2.409   Nancy Richey
#69   0-0   22   08*   17    1.870   Helen Gourlay Cawley
#70   0-0   26   14     24    1.870   Jeanne Evert
#74   1-0   28   17     34    1.646   Kathleen Harter Marcus Shubin
#78   0-0   19   06*   12    1.604   Karen Hantze Susman

*When determining a player's points average, the divisor is the greater of: 12, and the number of tournaments played.

Listed below are 10 singles tournaments (none of which King won), with a win-loss record of 25-10, 71.4% (17-8 indoor, 8-2 grass). (Her win-loss record does not include any third place matches or walkovers.)

In women's doubles, King remained a significant force. She won 10 titles, including the U. S. Open, the Bridgestone World Doubles Championships, and the year ending Colgate Series Championships. Nine of those titles were in partnership with Navratilova, with the other being in partnership with Julie Anthony. King's win-loss record was 48-4, 92.3%.

HEAD-TO-HEAD IN SINGLES
25-10  71.4%

3-0 Renata Tomanova
3-0 Wendy Turnbull

2-0 Betty Stöve
2-0 Virginia Ruzici

1-0 Anne Smith
1-0 Beth Norton
1-0 Elisabeth Ekblom
1-0 Evonne Goolagong Cawley
1-0 Florenta Mihai
1-0 Kathleen Harter Marcus Shubin
1-0 Marie Neumannova Pinterova
1-0 Marita Redondo
1-0 Michelle Gurdal
1-0 Mona Schallau Guerrant
1-0 Sharon Walsh Pete
1-0 Sue Barker
       1-1 Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat
       1-1 Regina Marsikova
       1-1 Virginia Wade

       0-1 Marise Kruger

       0-3 Chris Evert
       0-3 Martina Navratilova

HEAD-TO-HEAD IN WOMEN'S DOUBLES, BY PLAYER
96-8, 92.3%

8-0 Wendy Turnbull

6-0 Kerry Melville Reid

       5-1 Betty Stöve

4-0 Patricia Bostrom
       4-1 Francoise Durr
       4-1 Mona Schallau Guerrant

3-0 Anne Hobbs
3-0 Greer Stevens
3-0 Virginia Ruzici
       3-1 Virginia Wade

2-0 Evonne Goolagong Cawley
2-0 Ilana Kloss
2-0 Jeanne Evert
2-0 Kym Ruddell
2-0 Marise Kruger
2-0 Mima Jausovec
2-0 Regina Marsikova
2-0 Wendy Overton
2-0 Yvonne Vermaak
       2-1 Sue Barker

1-0 Brigette Cuypers
1-0 Chris Newton
1-0 Chris O'Neil
1-0 Cynthia Doerner
1-0 Diane Evers
1-0 Eun-Jeong Cha
1-0 Gail Benedetti
1-0 Jackie Fayter
1-0 Joanne Russell
1-0 Judy Chaloner
1-0 Julie Anthony
1-0 Kathy Kuykendall
1-0 Katja Ebbinghaus
1-0 Kyeong-Mi Choiq
1-0 Lea Antonopolis
1-0 Lele Forood
1-0 Lesley Hunt
1-0 Marita Redondo
1-0 Marjorie Blackwood
1-0 Mimi Wikstedt
1-0 Pam Teeguarden
1-0 Pam Whytcrosss
1-0 Patricia Medrado
1-0 Paula Smith
1-0 Racquel Giscafre
1-0 Rosemary Casals
1-0 Ruta Gerulaitis
1-0 Sharon Walsh Pete
1-0 Stephanie Tolleson
1-0 Sue Mappin
1-0 Tanya Harford
1-0 Valerie Ziegenfuss
       1-1 Chris Evert

       0-1 Beth Norton
       0-1 Rayni Fox

HEAD-TO-HEAD IN WOMEN'S DOUBLES, BY TEAM
48-4, 92.3%

King and Rosemary Casals versus:
1-0 Sue Barker & Anne Hobbs

       0-1 Rayni Fox & Beth Norton

1-1, 50.0%  Total for King / Casals Team

King and Julie Anthony versus:

1-0 Chris Evert & Betty Stöve
1-0 Chris O'Neil & Paula Smith
1-0 Ilana Kloss & Marise Kruger
1-0 Jeanne Evert & Wendy Overton
1-0 Kym Ruddell & Patricia Bostrom
1-0 Pam Whytcross & Mimi Wikstedt

       0-1 Virginia Wade & Francoise Durr

6-1, 85.7%  Total for King / Anthony Team

King and Tracy Austin versus:
1-0 Anne Hobbs & Sue Mappin

1-0, 100.0%  Total for King / Austin team

King and Chris Evert versus:
1-0 Eun-Jeong Cha & Kyeong-Mi Choi
1-0 Judy Chaloner & Chris Newton
1-0 Francoise Durr & Gail Benedetti
1-0 Kerry Melville Reid & Wendy Turnbull

4-0, 100.0%  Total for King / Evert team

King and Martina Navratilova versus:
5-0 Kerry Melville Reid & Wendy Turnbull

3-0 Greer Stevens & Mona Schallau Guerrant
3-0 Virginia Wade & Francoise Durr

2-0 Betty Stöve & Wendy Turnbull
2-0 Evonne Goolagong Cawley & Betty Stöve
2-0 Virginia Ruzici & Mima Jausovec

1-0 Ilana Kloss & Marise Kruger
1-0 Jeanne Evert & Kathy Kuykendal
1-0 Julie Anthony & Leslie Hunt
1-0 Kym Ruddell & Patricia Bostrom
1-0 Lea Antonoplis & Diane Evers
1-0 Lele Forood & Racquel Giscafre
1-0 Marita Redondo & Patricia Bostrom
1-0 Marjorie Blackwood & Jackie Fayter
1-0 Pam Teeguarden & Patricia Bostrom
1-0 Regina Marsikova & Katja Ebbinghaus
1-0 Rosemary Casals & Joanne Russell
1-0 Ruta Gerulaitis & Cynthia Doerner
1-0 Sharon Walsh Pete & Stephanie Tolleson
1-0 Tanya Harford & Anne Hobbs
1-0 Virginia Ruzici & Regina Marsikova
1-0 Wendy Overton & Valerie Ziegenfuss
1-0 Yvonne Vermaak & Brigette Cuypers
1-0 Yvonne Vermaak & Patricia Medrado 
       1-1 Sue Barker & Mona Schallau Guerrant

       0-1 Chris Evert & Betty Stöve

36-2, 94.7%  Total for King / Navratilova Team

King and All Partners versus:
6-0 Kerry Melville Reid & Wendy Turnbull

3-0 Greer Stevens & Mona Schallau Guerrant
       3-1 Virginia Wade & Francoise Durr

2-0 Betty Stöve & Wendy Turnbull
2-0 Evonne Goolagong Cawley & Betty Stöve
2-0 Ilana Kloss & Marise Kruger
2-0 Kym Ruddell & Patricia Bostrom

2-0 Virginia Ruzici & Mima Jausovec

1-0 Anne Hobbs & Sue Mappin
1-0 Chris O'Neil & Paula Smith
1-0 Eun-Jeong Cha & Kyeong-Mi Choi
1-0 Francoise Durr & Gail Benedetti
1-0 Jeanne Evert & Kathy Kuykendal
1-0 Jeanne Evert & Wendy Overton
1-0 Judy Chaloner & Chris Newton
1-0 Julie Anthony & Leslie Hunt
1-0 Lea Antonoplis & Diane Evers
1-0 Lele Forood & Racquel Giscafre
1-0 Marita Redondo & Patricia Bostrom
1-0 Marjorie Blackwood & Jackie Fayter
1-0 Pam Teeguarden & Patricia Bostrom
1-0 Pam Whytcross & Mimi Wikstedt
1-0 Regina Marsikova & Katja Ebbinghaus
1-0 Rosemary Casals & Joanne Russell
1-0 Ruta Gerulaitis & Cynthia Doerner
1-0 Sharon Walsh Pete & Stephanie Tolleson
1-0 Sue Barker & Anne Hobbs
1-0 Tanya Harford & Anne Hobbs
1-0 Virginia Ruzici & Regina Marsikova
1-0 Wendy Overton & Valerie Ziegenfuss
1-0 Yvonne Vermaak & Brigette Cuypers
1-0 Yvonne Vermaak & Patricia Medrado 
       1-1 Chris Evert & Betty Stöve
       1-1 Sue Barker & Mona Schallau Guerrant

       0-1 Rayni Fox & Beth Norton

48-4, 92.3%  Total for King / All Partners

==========================================

Week of January 2, 1978

Virginia Slims

Washington, D. C.

Indoor

King in singles, [2] seed:
1R  lost to Regina Marsikova 1-6, 6-3, 6-3

King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova:
FN  d. Betty Stöve / Wendy Turnbull 6-3, 7-5

Week of January 16, 1978

Virginia Slims

Astroarena

Houston, Texas

Indoor

General Note:

The Astroarena is now known as the NRG Arena.

Draw:

The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds).

King in singles, [2] seed:
1R  Walkover: Lesley Hunt defaulted (sore abdominal muscle)
2R  d. Anne Smith 6-2, 6-2
QF  d. [8] Wendy Turnbull 6-4, 6-2
SF  d. [4] Virginia Wade 7-6(5-1), 6-2
FN  lost to [1] Martina Navratilova 1-6, 6-2, 6-2

King had defeated Martina Navratilova 4 consecutive times before losing this final. King said, "I didn't take advantage of any of the points I had to win. You have only so many moments in a match and both players know when they are. If you don't execute on those points, you lose."

King broke Navratilova in the second and fourth games of the first set and saved a break point in the fifth game to take a commanding 5-0 lead. In the second set, Navratilova broke King in the third game for a 2-1 lead. She broke King again at love to take the set. King lost her service in the fourth game of the final set to fall behind 1-3. With Navratilova serving at 4-2, King forced three deuces before the Czech hit 2 passing shots to win the game.

Virginia Wade broke King's service in the opening game of their semifinal match. But King broke back in game 6 to level the set at 3-3. There were no breaks in the next 6 games, which forced a tiebreaker. With King serving, Wade won the first point on a backhand error. King then won 5 consecutive points (on 2 forehand winners by King and 3 errors by Wade) to win the set. King hit 3 cross-court winners to break Wade in the third game of the second set. With Wade becoming increasingly irritated by line calls, King broke Wade again for a 4-1, two-break lead.

In the quarterfinals, King broke Wendy Turnbull twice to win a close first set, the last time in game 7 for a 4-3, one-break lead.

King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova, [2] seed:
1R  d. Yvonne Vermaak / Patricia Medrado 6-1, 6-3
QF  d. Marita Redondo / Patricia Bostrom 6-2, 6-3
SF  d. [3] Betty Stöve / Wendy Turnbull 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
FN  d. [4] Greer Stevens / Mona Schallau Guerrant 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 (36 games)

Week of January 23, 1978

Virginia Slims

Los Angeles Sports Arena

Los Angeles, California

Indoor (Sporteze)

General Note:

In a press conference before the singles semifinals, King apologized to the public for retiring from her first round match with Marise Kruger.

I did not have my heart and spirit in the match. Because I didn't give 100 percent, I owe the fans an apology. They pay to see us at our very best and I was unable to give them that this week. I just can't get up mentally for a match. When you have been sick for a long period of time  you recognize an injury and I don't want to be sick anymore, so I want to heal these injuries quickly. I allowed a heckler to distract and hurt me.... That's my problem, not the spectators' problem. So for now, I'm going to take some time off until I feel I can deliver physically and mentally.

Draw:

The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds).

King in singles, [1] seed:
1R lost to Marise Kruger 6-7, 5-4 retired (right hamstring injury)

King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova, [1] seed:
1R d. Virginia Ruzici / Regina Marsikova 6-3, 6-1
QF Walkover: King / Navratova defaulted because of King's right hamstring injury. Greer Stevens / Pam Teeguarden advanced to the semifinals.

Week of February 20, 1978

Virginia Slims

Cobo Hall

Detroit, Michigan

Indoor

General Notes:

(1) In lieu of the third place singles match, King and Francoise Durr played a one-set exhibition that the American won 6-4.

Draws:

The singles draw had 32 women (5 rounds), and the doubles draw had 16 teams (4 rounds).

King in singles, [NS]:
1R  d. Kathleen Harter Marcus Shubin 6-3, 6-4
2R  d. [4] Wendy Turnbull 6-4, 6-3
QF d. Sharon Walsh Pete 6-1, 6-3
SF  lost to [7] Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat 6-3, 0-6, 7-6(5-3)
     Third place match: Walkover. Virginia Wade, seeded third, defaulted because her aunt died.

King received US$6,300 (inflation-adjusted to US$25,500 in March 2019 dollars) for finishing in third place.

Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat won the first 3 games of her semifinal match with King.

King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova, [1] seed:
1R  d. Sharon Walsh Pete / Stephanie Tolleson 6-2, 6-2
2R  d  Yvonne Vermaak / Brigette Cuypers 6-1, 6-2
SF  d. [4] Virginia Wade / Francoise Durr 6-4, 6-4
FN  d. [2] Kerry Melville Reid / Wendy Turnbull 6-3, 6-4

Martina Navratilova and King each received US$2,600 (inflation-adjusted to US$10,500 in March 2019 dollars) for winning the doubles.

Week of February 27, 1978

Virginia Slims

Kansas City, Missouri

Indoor

Draws:

The draws are available.

King in singles, [NS]:
1R  d. [7] Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat 6-2, 6-2
2R  d. Beth Norton 6-2, 6-4r
QF  d. [2] Evonne Goolagong Cawley 6-2, 6-3
SF  d. [4] Wendy Turnbull [4] 6-3, 6-1
FN  lost to [1] Martina Navratilova 7-5, 2-6, 6-3

After losing the final to Martina Navratilova, King said, "I think it's going to take an exceptional game to beat her. It'll take somebody playing great - and maybe Martina won't have a great day." King won 5 consecutive games to win the second set and broke Navratilova to open the third set. But Navratilova broke back in the next game. They exchanged service breaks in the third and fourth games before Navratilova broke again to take a 4-2 lead.

King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova, 
[1] seed:
1R  bye
QF  d. Virginia Ruzici / Mima Jausovec 6-2, 6-2
SF  d. [3] Sue Barker / Mona Schallau Guerrant 6-0, 6-1
FN  d. [2] Kerry Melville Reid / Wendy Turnbull 6-4, 6-4

Week of March 13, 1978

Virginia Slims

Walter Brown Arena

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Indoor

Draws:

The draws are available.

King in singles, [6] seed:
1R  d. Regina Marsikova 6-3, 6-4
2R  d. Virginia Ruzici 6-3, 6-1
QF  d. Marita Redondo 6-1, 7-6(5-2)
SF  lost to [2] Chris Evert 6-3, 6-2
    Third place: Martina Navratilova, seeded first, prevailed over King 6-4 (pro set)

King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova, 
[1] seed:
1R  d. Katja Ebbinghaus / Regina Marsikova 7-5, 6-1
QF d. Julie Anthony / Leslie Hunt 6-4, 6-3
SF  d. [4] Rosemary Casals / Joanne Russell 7-6, 6-4
FN  d. [2] Evonne Goolagong Cawley / Betty Stöve 6-3, 6-2

Week of March 20, 1978

Virginia Slims

The Palestra

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Indoor

Draw:

The singles draw included 32 women (5 rounds) with 8 seeds. Virginia Ruzici occupied the spot in the draw where the #2 seed is slotted; however, Ruzici was not seeded.

King in singles, [6] seed:
1R  d. Florenta Mihai 6-4, 6-3
2R  d. Renata Tomanova 6-1, 6-3
QF  d. [3] Betty Stöve 6-1, 6-3
SF  d. [NS] Virginia Ruzici 6-1, 6-2
FN  lost to [1] Chris Evert 6-0, 6-4

Chris Evert broke King's serve in the 18-point opening game of the match. Evert said, "The first game was very crucial because as soon as I broke her service, I was confident I could win my serve." King said, "The first game meant a lot. I could hold a press conference and write a textbook on that. Chris is tough and is not going to give you anything." Evert won the first set on her second set point when she hit a forehand, down-the-line passing shot. The second set included numerous lengthy points. Evert broke King in the fifth game to lead 3-2, thanks to 4 errors by King, and held serve the rest of the way.

Week of March 27, 1978

Virginia Slims Championships

Oakland Coliseum Arena

Oakland, California

Indoor

King in singles:
1RR  lost to Virginia Wade 1-6, 6-2, 6-4
2RR  Walkover: King defaulted because of a leg injury. Evonne Goolagong Cawley was credited with a win for purposes of this round robin.
3RR  Walkover: King defaulted because of a leg injury. Rosemary Casals was credited with a win for purposes of this round robin.

Week of April 3, 1978

Bridgestone World Doubles Championships

Salt Palace

Salt Lake City, Utah

General Note:

King and Martina Navratilova won 6 of the 7 Virginia Slims tournaments they played as a team this year. This was the last Virginia Slims tournament of 1978.

King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova, 
[1] seed:
QF  d. [6] Greer Stevens / Mona Schallau Guerrant 6-3, 6-3
SF  d. [3] Evonne Goolagong Cawley / Betty Stöve 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
FN  d. [4] Virginia Wade / Francoise Durr 6-4, 6-4

King and Martina Navratilova won 15 of the last 16 points of the semifinal after trailing 2-4 in the final set. King and Navratilova took advantage of poor serving by Francoise Durr, who was broken 3 times out of 5 service games, to win the final. Durr said after the match that she was intimidated by King and Navratilova.

Week of April 10, 1978

Family Circle Cup

Hilton Head, South Carolina

Clay

King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova, 
[1] seed:
1R  d. Virginia Ruzici / Mima Jausovec 6-4, 7-5
2R/QF  d. Kym Ruddell / Patricia Bostrom 8-2 (score is correct)
SF  Walkover: [3] Chris Evert / Rosemary Casals defaulted
FN  d. [4] Greer Stevens / Mona Schallau Guerrant 6-3, 7-5

Week of June 19, 1978

Colgate Eastbourne International

Eastbourne, United Kingdom

Grass

King in singles:
1R  d. Mona Schallau Guerrant 7-6, 6-1
2R  d. Renata Tomanova 6-1, 6-2
3R  d. Elisabeth Ekblom 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
QF  d. Betty Stöve 6-4, 6-4
SF  lost to [2] Martina Navratilova 6-4, 6-2

King "lacked speed and her usual volleying authority" while losing her semifinal with Martina Navratilova.

King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova:
1R  d. Ruta Gerulaitis / Cynthia Doerner 6-3, 6-3
2R  d. Pam Teeguarden / Patricia Bostrom 6-2, 6-1
QF  d. Ilana Kloss / Marise Kruger 6-1, 7-5
SF  d. Kerry Melville Reid / Wendy Turnbull 6-1, 2-6, 12-10 (37 games)
FN  lost to Chris Evert / Betty Stöve 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 (35 games)

Weeks of June 26 and July 3, 1978

Wimbledon

All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club

London, United Kingdom

Grass

King in singles, [5] seed:
1R  d. Michele Gurdal 6-0, 6-2
2R  d. Marie Neumannova Pinterova 6-3, 6-2
3R  d. Renata Tomanova 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
4R  d. [14] Sue Barker 6-2, 6-2
QF  lost to [1] Chris Evert 6-3, 3-6, 6-2

For the second consecutive singles match, King needed a shot of novocaine before her quarterfinal match with Chris Evert because of a painful heel spur in her left foot. But she lost the match anyway, the second consecutive year she had lost to Evert in the quarterfinals.

The match was on-serve in the third set with King serving at 2–3 (40–0) before Evert won five consecutive points to break serve. King won a total of only two points during the last two games. King said after the match, "That 40-0 game was the cruncher. I tried a stupid drop shot at 40-30. If I had won that game, it might have been different.

King also said, "I don't think my mobility is very good and that's what I need to beat her. Physically, she [Evert] tears your guts apart unless you can stay with her. I'm really disappointed. I really wanted to play well. I just couldn't cut it because of my heel."

Evert said that as she and King were walking off the court, King said, "You've got to play better if you hope to win tomorrow [against Virginia Wade]."

King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova,
[1] seed:
1R  bye
2R  d. Lele Forood / Racquel Giscafre 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
3R  d. Lea Antonoplis / Diane Evers 6-1, 6-4
QF  lost to [6] Sue Barker / Mona Schallau Guerrant 6-3, 4-6, 6-4

King in mixed doubles with Ray Ruffels, [2] seed:
1R  bye
2R  d. John Feaver / Annette Coe 6-1, 6-3
3R  Walkover: Kim Warwick / Mima Jausovec defaulted
QF  d. David Lloyd / Lesley Charles 6-4, 6-2
SF  d. Alan Stone / Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat 6-3, 6-4
FN  lost to [1] Frew McMillan / Betty Stöve 6-2, 6-2

King did not play singles after Wimbledon because of a heel spur in her left foot, which started bothering her in early 1978. She finally had major surgery on December 22, 1978. The surgery lasted 3 1/2 hours.

Weeks of August 28 & September 4, 1978

U. S. Open

U. S. T. A. National Tennis Center

Flushing Meadows, Borough of Queens

New York City

Hard

Women's singles:
Did not play.

King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova, 
[1] seed:
1R  d. Jeanne Evert / Kathy Kuykendall 6-1, 6-0
2R  d. Wendy Overton / Valerie Ziegenfuss 6-2, 7-6
3R  d. Marjorie Blackwood / Jackie Fayter 6-2, 6-1
QF  d. Tanya Harford / Anne Hobbs 7-5, 6-1
SF  d. [5] Virginia Wade / Francoise Durr 6-2, 6-3
FN  d. [2] Kerry Melville Reid / Wendy Turnbull 7-6, 6-4

King in mixed doubles with Ray Ruffels, [2] seed:
1R  bye
2R  d. Colin Dowdeswell / Betsy Nagelsen McCormack 6-4, 6-7, 6-3
3R  d. Kim Warwick / Regina Marsikova 7-6, 6-3
QF  d. Bob Carmichael / Joanne Russell 6-0, 6-1
SF  d. Stan Smith / Anne Smith 7-6, 6-4
FN  lost to [1] Frew McMillan / Betty Stove 6-3, 7-6

Week of September 18, 1978

Montreal Record World Tennis Classic

(Canadian Open)

Mirabel Racquet Club

Montreal, Canada

Indoor (hard)

Draw:

The women's doubles draw included 16 teams (4 rounds) and 4 seeds.

King in women's doubles with Julie Anthony, [2] seed:
1R  bye
2R  d. Chris O'Neil / Paula Smith 7-6, 7-5
QF  d. Jeanne Evert / Wendy Overton 6-2, 6-2
SF  d. [NS] Pam Whytcross / Mimi Wikstedt 6-2, 6-4
FN  d. [1] Ilana Kloss / Marise Kruger 6-4, 6-4

Week of September 25, 1978

Wyler's Women's Tennis Classic

Atlanta, Georgia
Indoor

King in women's doubles with Julie Anthony, [3] seed:
1R  d. Kym Ruddell / Patricia Bosttom 6-4, 6-4
QF  d. Chris Evert / Betty Stove 6-4, 7-5
SF  lost to [2] Virginia Wade / Francoise Durr 6-7, 6-4, 6-4

Week of October 30, 1978

Wightman Cup

Royal Albert Hall

London, United Kingdom

Indoors

United Kingdom defeated United States, 4-3

King in women's doubles with Tracy Austin:
d. Anne Hobbs / Sue Mappin 6-2, 4-6, 6-2

Week of November 6, 1978

Florida Federal Open

East Lake Woodlands Country Club

Oldsmar, Florida

Hard

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals, [4] seed:
1R  lost to Rayni Fox / Beth Norton 6-1, 6-4

Week of November 13, 1978

Colgate Series Championships

Palm Springs, California

Hard

King in women's doubles with Martina Navratilova:
FN  d. Wendy Turnbull / Kerry Melville Reid 6-3, 6-4

Week of November 27, 1978

Federation Cup

Kooyong Club

Melbourne, Australia

Grass

General Notes:

(1) Vicky Berner was the captain of the U. S. team.

(2) During this competition, King hinted at retirement from future major singles competitions and said that she was "sick and tired of continued surgery" in trying to get fit enough for those events.

(3) The doubles match between the U. S. and Australia decided the winner of the Federation Cup. Kerry Melville Reid defeated Tracy Austin 6-3, 6-3 in the first singles match of the day. Then, Chris Evert Lloyd struggled in the second singles match to defeat Wendy Turnbull 3-6, 6-1, 6-1. Evert Lloyd and King lost the first set of the doubles to Melville Reid and Turnbull. The Americans won the second set easily.

U. S. team results
1R  U. S  d. South Korea, 3-0
2R  U. S. d. New Zealand, 3-0
QF  U. S. d. France, 3-0
SF  U. S. d  United Kingdom, 3-0
FN  U. S. d. Australia, 2-1

King in women's doubles with Chris Evert:
1R  d. Eun-Jeong Cha / Kyeong-Mi Choi, 6-1, 6-0 (dead rubber)
2R  d. Judy Chaloner / Chris Newton, 6-1, 6-1 (dead rubber)
QF  d. Francoise Durr / Gail Benedetti 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 (dead rubber)
FN  d. Kerry Melville Reid / Wendy Turnbull 4-6, 6-1, 6-4

King in women's doubles with Rosemary Casals:
SF  d. Sue Barker / Anne Hobbs 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 (dead rubber)