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
Final
ChampionUnited States John McEnroe
Runner-upSweden Björn Borg
Score4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–3
Details
Draw128
Seeds16
Events
Singles men women boys girls
Doubles men women mixed boys girls
WC Singles men women quad
WC Doubles men women quad
Legends men women mixed
← 1980 · US Open · 1982 →

Seeds

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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

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Final eight

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
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Preceded by Grand Slam men's singles Succeeded by