There were 34 competitors, excluding Spencer Gore who as champion was not required to participate until the best of the challengers had won the All comers' final.

[1] The winner of the All Comers' final was Frank Hadow, a planter from Ceylon who was on leave in Britain.

He defeated Robert Erskine, a friend of the family who had enticed him to participate in the championship, in straight sets 6–4, 6–4, 6–4.

[2] On 18 July 1878 Hadow defeated reigning champion Spencer Gore in three sets, 7–5, 6–1, 9–7 before a crowd of about 700 spectators.

[3][4] Hadow effectively introduced the tactic of lobbing to counter Gore's volleying game.