CREATE TABLE table_204_553 (id DECIMAL, "outcome" TEXT, "no." DECIMAL, "date" TEXT, "tournament" TEXT, "surface" TEXT, "partner" TEXT, "opponents in the final" TEXT, "score in the final" TEXT)

the match on november 12 , 1978 was on a hard surface . what was the surface of the previous match ?
SELECT "surface" FROM table_204_553 WHERE "date" < (SELECT "date" FROM table_204_553 WHERE "date" = '12 november 1978') ORDER BY "date" DESC LIMIT 1
SELECT "surface" FROM "table_204_553" WHERE "date" < (SELECT "date" FROM "table_204_553" WHERE "date" = '12 november 1978') ORDER BY "date" DESC NULLS LAST LIMIT 1