1981 US Open – Men's Singles

1981 US Open
Champion		John McEnroe
Runner-up		Björn Borg
Final score		4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–3
Events
Singles		men		women				boys		girls
Doubles		men		women		mixed		boys		girls
Other events
Legends		men		women		mixed
WC Singles		men		women		quad
WC Doubles		men		women		quad
US Open  < 1980 1982 >

John McEnroe defeated Björn Borg 4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–3 in the final to win the Men's Singles tennis title at the 1981 US Open.

Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. John McEnroe is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.

John McEnroe (Champion) Björn Borg (Finalist) Ivan Lendl (Fourth round) Jimmy Connors (Semifinalist) José Luis Clerc (Fourth round) Guillermo Vilas (Fourth round) Gene Mayer (Fourth round) Eliot Teltscher (Quarterfinalist)

Roscoe Tanner (Quarterfinalist) Brian Teacher (Second round) Peter McNamara (Third round) Johan Kriek (Third round) Yannick Noah (Fourth round) Wojtek Fibak (First round) Vitas Gerulaitis (Semifinalist) Brian Gottfried (Fourth round)

Draw

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild Card
• LL = Lucky Loser
• r. = retired

Final Eight

	Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Finals
	1	John McEnroe	6	7	6	6
		Ramesh Krishnan	7	6	4	2
										1	John McEnroe	5	6	6	4	6
										15	Vitas Gerulaitis	7	3	2	6	3
	15	Vitas Gerulaitis	6	6	4	6
		Bruce Manson	4	2	6	1
																			1	John McEnroe	4	6	6	6
																			2	Björn Borg	6	2	4	3
	8	Eliot Teltscher	3	1	2
	4	Jimmy Connors	6	6	6
										4	Jimmy Connors	2	5	4
										2	Björn Borg	6	7	6
	9	Roscoe Tanner	6	3	7	6
	2	Björn Borg	7	6	6	7

Section 1

First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
1	McEnroe	6	6	6	6
	Nunez	7	1	3	2				1	McEnroe	6	6	6
	Bedel	1	4	4						Gullikson	3	1	3
	Gullikson	6	6	6														1	McEnroe	6	6	6
	Du Pré	6	6	4	6														Du Pré	3	2	3
	Delaney	3	3	6	2					Du Pré	6	6	6
	Gullikson	6	6	3	6	1				Hooper	4	2	4
	Hooper	7	2	6	3	6																					1	McEnroe	7	6	6
	Dupasquier	3	2	1																								Curren	5	0	1
	Edmondson	6	6	6						Edmondson	4	3	6	6
	Kohlberg	5	4	4						Roger-Vasselin	6	6	1	4r
	Roger-Vasselin	7	6	6															Edmondson	3	5	2
	Martinez	6	6	4	4	2													Curren	6	7	6
	Lapidus	4	4	6	6	6				Lapidus	6	3	7	1	3
	Curren	7	6	7						Curren	4	6	6	6	6
14	Fibak	6	4	6

Section 2

First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
10	Teacher	6	6	7
	Scanlon	3	2	5					10	Teacher	6	6	2	4
	Davis	6	7	3	6					Davis	2	7	6	6
	Bourne	3	5	6	1														Davis	2	6	7	4
	Sadri	7	7	5	4	6													Krishnan	6	7	6	6
	Smith	5	6	7	6	7				Smith	4	3	3
	Krishnan	6	6	6						Krishnan	6	6	6
	Hjertquist	1	1	3																								Krishnan	4	1	7	7
	González	3	2	6	5																						7	Mayer	6	6	6	5
	Krulevitz	6	6	2	7					Krulevitz	4	4	2
	Tulasne	6	3	4	4					Stockton	6	6	6
	Stockton	4	6	6	6														Stockton	4	4	1
	Wittus	5	6	6	1	3												7	Mayer	6	6	6
	Buehning	7	3	4	6	6				Buehning	4	2	3
	Hayes	4	2	2					7	Mayer	6	6	6
7	Mayer	6	6	6

Section 3

First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
3	Lendl	6	6	6
	Simonsson	2	2	2					3	Lendl	7	6	7
	Portes	2	3	1						Borowiak	6	1	6
	Borowiak	6	6	6														3	Lendl	6	3	6	6
	Edwards	6	7	6	6														Vines	4	6	2	3
	Fromm	3	6	7	4					Edwards	1	7	1	4
	Vines	6	2	6	4					Vines	6	5	6	6
	Simpson	3	6	2	3	r																					3	Lendl	3	4	6	6	4
	Ball	1	6	2																							15	Gerulaitis	6	6	3	3	6
	Arias	6	7	6						Arias	6	6	3	r
	Tarr	0	1	7	1					Solomon	7	7	3
	Solomon	6	6	6	6														Solomon	3	2	3
	Brown	3	6	6	6	5												15	Gerulaitis	6	6	6
	Cortes	6	4	4	7	7				Cortes	6	0	1
	Moor	6	3	0	6	2			15	Gerulaitis	7	6	6
15	Gerulaitis	4	6	6	3	6

Section 4

First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
11	McNamara	7	2	6	6
	Fitzgerald	6	6	3	3				11	McNamara	6	6	5	6
	Fishbach	2	4	2						Fleming	4	2	7	3
	Fleming	6	6	6														11	McNamara	6	3	4	2
	Meyer	6	6	7															Manson	4	6	6	6
	Mitton	3	4	6						Meyer	0	2	6	6	2
	Manson	6	6	6						Manson	6	6	3	4	6
	Saltz	0	0	2																								Manson	6	7	6
	Năstase	6	3	4	6	3																					5	Clerc	3	6	3
	Purcell	3	6	6	3	6				Purcell	6	6	7
	Smith	4	4	2						Glickstein	4	4	5
	Glickstein	6	6	6															Purcell	3	6	6	4	3
	Alexander	4	6	6	4													5	Clerc	6	0	0	6	6
	Wilkison	6	2	7	6					Wilkison	4	7	4	7	6
	Drewett	4	3	3					5	Clerc	6	5	6	5	7
5	Clerc	6	6	6

Section 5

First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
8	Teltscher	6	6	6
	Amaya	2	2	4					8	Teltscher	6	6	6
	Saviano	2	7	1	4					Austin	2	2	2
	Austin	6	6	6	6													8	Teltscher	6	6	6
	Moretton	6	3	4	7	6													Amritraj	2	4	0
	Fernandez	3	6	6	6	3				Moretton	5	3	4
	Amritraj	6	6	6						Amritraj	7	6	6
	Davis	3	4	2																							8	Teltscher	6	6	5	1	6
	Cowan	5	4	2																							16	Gottfried	4	0	7	6	3
	McCain	7	6	6						McCain	3	6	6	1	2
	Mayotte	6	6	6	6					Mayotte	6	3	4	6	6
	Denton	3	4	7	3														Mayotte	2	3	7	6
	Walts	7	6	6	2	6												16	Gottfried	6	6	6	7
	Fagel	6	4	7	6	1				Walts	6	4	2
	Van Patten	4	4	1					16	Gottfried	7	6	6
16	Gottfried	6	6	6

Section 6

First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
12	Kriek	6	6	7
	De Palmer	2	3	5					12	Kriek	4	6	6	6
	Gurfein	2	2	7	2					Doyle	6	4	3	0
	Doyle	6	6	5	6													12	Kriek	6	2	1	4
	Freeman	6	5	6															Cahill	4	6	6	6
	Pattison	7	7	7						Pattison	4	1	6
	Cahill	6	6	6						Cahill	6	6	7
	Meister	3	3	4																								Cahill	3	3	1
	Winitsky	6	3	2																							4	Connors	6	6	6
	Gómez	7	6	6						Gómez	6	6	6
	Lewis	7	7	6						Lewis	4	3	3
	Pfister	5	6	2															Gómez	7	3	1	6	6
	Rebolledo	1	2	2														4	Connors	6	6	6	4	7
	Ostoja	6	6	6						Ostoja	6	4	3
	Lloyd	0	0	2					4	Connors	7	6	6
4	Connors	6	6	6

Section 7

First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
6	Vilas	6	6	6	6
	Gitlin	3	7	0	4				6	Vilas	6	6	6
	Ramírez	6	6	6						Ramírez	1	3	2
	Ismail	3	2	4														6	Vilas	7	4	7	6
	Stadler	6	7	5	6														Panatta	6	6	5	4
	Docherty	4	5	7	2					Stadler	5	3	1
	Panatta	7	4	6	6					Panatta	7	6	6
	Taygan	6	6	3	2																						6	Vilas	4	2	6
	Nichols	4	4	7	4																						9	Tanner	6	6	7
	James	6	6	5	6					James	4	7	5	6	0
	Segal	1	4	4						Mayotte	6	5	7	4	6
	Mayotte	6	6	6															Mayotte	6	1	2
	Case	2	6	2														9	Tanner	7	6	6
	Delaney	6	7	6						Delaney	6	1	4	1
	Edwards	3	3	4					9	Tanner	4	6	6	6
9	Tanner	6	6	6

Section 8

First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
13	Noah	6	6	5	4	6
	Andrews	3	4	7	6	2			13	Noah	6	6	4	7
	Benson	6	0	6	1	4				Van Dillen	4	2	6	5
	Van Dillen	4	6	4	6	6												13	Noah	6	6	6
	Waltke	7	6	1	4	7													Waltke	3	4	4
	Stewart	6	4	6	6	5				Waltke	6	6	7
	Giammalva	2	6	1	5					Fritz	3	3	6
	Fritz	6	2	6	7																						13	Noah	7	4	3	3
	Carter	7	2	7	6																						2	Borg	6	6	6	6
	Fillol, Sr.	6	6	6	2					Carter	4	6	1	6	6
	Giammalva, Jr.	6	4	6	1	6				Giammalva, Jr.	6	2	6	4	0
	Günthardt	4	6	3	6	1													Carter	2	2	2
	Dent	7	5	4	6	3												2	Borg	6	6	6
	Stefanki	6	7	6	3	6				Stefanki	4	4	4
	Günthardt	2	2	0					2	Borg	6	6	6
2	Borg	6	6	6

External links

• 1981 US Open on ATPtennis.com
• 1981 US Open on tenniscorner.net