1981 US Open – Men's singles

Men's singles
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

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 14th and final meeting between the pair (with McEnroe's victory leveling the rivalry at 7–7) as well as 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.

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

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	4^r
	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