Stats without the first three games (two on Gottfried’s serve).

Points won by each set: | ?, 37-29, 29-14 |

Vilas – the second best clay-court player of the 70s, triumphed just once in Paris, taking advantage of the fact that the best two players in the world (Borg & Connors) withdrew while the 1973 champion – Ilie Nastase, seeded no. 1, began experiencing downhill of his career in 1977 (lost in the quarterfinals)… The final was longer than the scoreline would suggest – lasted 1 hour 48 minutes – the most lopsided French Open final in terms of the scoreline (the shortest in Paris occurred in 1970 – just 1:06)… Gottfried squandered three break points leading 2:1 in the 2nd set. Vilas became the first French Open champion using a non-wooden racquet (it was a wood/graphite composite to be precise… Bosworth Head)

Vilas’ route to his 23rd title:
1 Zeljko Franulovic 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
2 Belus Prajoux 2-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-0
3 Bernard Mitton 6-1, 6-4, 6-2
4 Stan Smith 6-1, 6-2, 6-1
Q Wojtek Fibak 6-4, 6-0, 6-4
S Raul Ramirez 6-2, 6-0, 6-3
W Brian Gottfried 6-0, 6-3, 6-0