1981 US Open – Men's Singles

Men's Singles
1981 US Open
Champion	John McEnroe
Runner-up	Björn Borg
Final score	4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–3

John McEnroe was the two-time defending champion and retained his title again, defeating 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 in a repeat of the previous years final, and which turned out to be Borg's final grand slam match.

Seeds

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

1. John McEnroe (Champion)
2. Björn Borg (Finalist)
3. Ivan Lendl (Fourth round)
4. Jimmy Connors (Semifinalist)
5. José Luis Clerc (Fourth round)
6. Guillermo Vilas (Fourth round)
7. Gene Mayer (Fourth round)
8. Eliot Teltscher (Quarterfinalist)
9. Roscoe Tanner (Quarterfinalist)
10. Brian Teacher (Second round)
11. Peter McNamara (Third round)
12. Johan Kriek (Third round)
13. Yannick Noah (Fourth round)
14. Wojtek Fibak (First round)
15. Vitas Gerulaitis (Semifinalist)
16. 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	6	7	7
		González	3	2	6	5																						7	Mayer	6	1	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

• Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) – 1981 US Open Men's Singles draw