1981 US Open – Men's singles

Two-time defending champion John McEnroe defeated Björn Borg in a rematch of the previous year's final, 4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–3 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1981 US Open. It was his third US Open singles title and fourth major singles title overall. It was Borg's fourth runner-up finish at the US Open, his career-best finish at the event. The final would mark the last major appearance of eleven-time major champion Borg, due to his later retirement from the sport. He left the venue before the trophy ceremony, emotionally distraught.

Men's singles
1981 US Open
Champion	John McEnroe
Runner-up	Björn Borg
Score	4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–3
Draw	128
Seeds	16

Main article: 1981 US Open (tennis)

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									Final
	1	John McEnroe	610	77	6	6
		Ramesh Krishnan	712	64	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	64	3	77	67
	2	Björn Borg	77	6	64	79

Section 1

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	1	McEnroe	6	6	6	6
		Núñez	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
		DuPré	6	6	4	6														DuPré	3	2	3
		Delaney	3	3	6	2					DuPré	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	613
		Nichols	4	4	7	4																						9	Tanner	6	6	715
		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	77	4	3	3
		Carter	7	2	7	6																						2	Borg	62	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
• 1981 US Open – Men's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation