Men's singles Champion John McEnroe Runner-up Björn Borg Final score 4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–3 Draw 128 Seeds 16
1981 tennis event results
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. Due to his later retirement from the sport, the final would be the last major match of Borg's career.
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
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 [ ]
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 [ ]
Section 7 [ ]
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 [ ]