Men's singles
1981 Wimbledon Championships
Final
Champion	John McEnroe
Runner-up	Björn Borg
Score	4–6, 7–6(7–1), 7–6(7–4), 6–4
Details
Draw	128 (16Q / 8WC)
Seeds	16
Events
Singles men women boys girls Doubles men women mixed boys girls
← 1980 · Wimbledon Championships · 1982 →

John McEnroe defeated five-time defending championBjörn Borg in a rematch of the previous year's final, 4–6, 7–6^(7–1), 7–6^(7–4), 6–4 to win the gentlemen's singles tennis title at the1981 Wimbledon Championships. It was his firstWimbledon singles title and thirdmajor singles title overall. Borg was attempting to equalWilliam Renshaw's record of six consecutive Wimbledon titles andRoy Emerson's all-time record of 12 Grand Slam tournament singles titles.^[1] It was Borg's last Wimbledon appearance.

During this tournament, McEnroe famously shouted "You cannot be serious!" to the chair umpire in response to a serve being called "out". The disagreement took place on 22 June, during his first-round match againstTom Gullikson.^[2]

Click on the seed number of a player to go to their draw section.

Gene Mayer withdrew due to injury. He was replaced in the draw by lucky loserMike Estep.

Key

	Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Final
	1	Björn Borg	77	6	6
	12	Peter McNamara	62	2	3
										1	Björn Borg	0	4	6	6	6
										3	Jimmy Connors	6	6	3	0	4
	3	Jimmy Connors	2	5	6	6	6
		Vijay Amritraj	6	7	4	3	2
																			1	Björn Borg	6	61	64	4
																			2	John McEnroe	4	77	77	6
		Rod Frawley	4	77	77	6
		Tim Mayotte	6	65	64	3
											Rod Frawley	62	4	5
										2	John McEnroe	77	6	7
		Johan Kriek	1	5	1
	2	John McEnroe	6	7	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	1	B Borg	77	6	6
		P Rennert	62	3	1					1	B Borg	6	6	6
	Q	D Collings	4	3	3						M Purcell	4	1	3
		M Purcell	6	6	6														1	B Borg	6	7	6
		F Taygan	7	6	6															R Gehring	4	5	0
		N Saviano	5	1	2						F Taygan	5	1	6
	LL	U Marten	6	2	7	0					R Gehring	7	6	7
		R Gehring	7	6	6	6																						1	B Borg	77	7	78
		V Amaya	6	7	6	7																						16	V Gerulaitis	64	5	66
		P Feigl	4	6	7	6					V Amaya	6	6	6
		C Mottram	6	6	4	6					C Mottram	3	4	2
	WC	R Drysdale	1	4	6	3														V Amaya	6	4	6	3	5
	Q	J Bailey	7	6	3	6	4												16	V Gerulaitis	4	6	3	6	7
		K Curren	6	4	6	7	6				K Curren	3	7	3	3
	Q	G Holroyd	3	4	6					16	V Gerulaitis	6	6	6	6
	16	V Gerulaitis	6	6	7

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	12	P McNamara	6	6	2	7
		H Günthardt	1	2	6	5				12	P McNamara	6	6	6
		J Delaney	5	3	7	3					S Stewart	4	0	1
		S Stewart	7	6	6	6													12	P McNamara	6	6	7
		Á Giménez	6	7	6															A Pattison	1	0	5
	Q	J Windahl	3	5	2						Á Giménez	6	6	7	1	4
		S Giammalva	3	7	3	6					A Pattison	4	7	6	6	6
		A Pattison	6	6	6	7																						12	P McNamara	7	6	7
		Tim Gullikson	6	6	6																								J Borowiak	6	0	6
		G Rinaldini	1	2	3						Tim Gullikson	3	7	7	6
		P Fleming	7	6	2	7					P Fleming	6	6	6	3
		S Docherty	6	2	6	6														Tim Gullikson	3	6	6	3
	Q	E van Dillen	2	4	6	2														J Borowiak	6	7	4	6
		J Borowiak	6	6	4	6					J Borowiak	6	7	6
		K Walts	3	3	2					7	B Gottfried	4	6	4
	7	B Gottfried	6	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	3	J Connors	6	6	6
		R Stockton	1	2	4					3	J Connors	7	7	6
		C Lewis	6	7	0	6	6				C Lewis	6	6	3
	Q	C Dunk	7	6	6	4	4												3	J Connors	6	6	6
		T Šmid	5	3	6	2														A Giammalva	4	4	0
		P DuPré	7	6	3	6					P DuPré	3	4	6	3
		A Giammalva	6	7	6						A Giammalva	6	6	1	6
	LL	S Davis	2	6	2																							3	J Connors	6	6	6
	Q	C Wittus	6	6	6																							14	W Fibak	3	2	4
		E Edwards	4	4	4					Q	C Wittus	3	0	4
		B Drewett	7	4	6	6					B Drewett	6	6	6
		M Hocevar	6	6	4	3														B Drewett	6	1	6	6	4
	Q	M Davis	7	5	2	7	6												14	W Fibak	7	6	3	3	6
		S Glickstein	5	7	6	5	4			Q	M Davis	4	4	2
		M Doyle	4	7	4	5				14	W Fibak	6	6	6
	14	W Fibak	6	6	6	7

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	9	JL Clerc	3	6	2	6	9
	LL	Á Fillol	6	3	6	4	7			9	JL Clerc	4	6	7	6
	WC	J Lloyd	6	3	4	6	6			WC	J Lloyd	6	3	6	4
		P Dent	4	6	6	3	4												9	JL Clerc	6	4	1	6
		P Portes	7	6	2	6														P Kronk	2	6	6	7
	Q	W Pascoe	5	7	6	7				Q	W Pascoe	5	3	4
		P Kronk	6	6	3	6					P Kronk	7	6	6
		W Martin	2	3	6	3																							P Kronk	3	3	2
		R Van't Hof	6	6	6																								V Amritraj	6	6	6
		K Eberhard	4	4	4						R Van't Hof	3	4	2
		T Okker	5	7	4	6					T Wilkison	6	6	6
		T Wilkison	7	5	6	7														T Wilkison	3	2	6	4
		V Amritraj	6	6	7															V Amritraj	6	6	3	6
	WC	J Kodeš	0	1	5						V Amritraj	6	2	2	6	6
		R Stadler	6	0	3	3				6	B Teacher	4	6	6	2	1
	6	B Teacher	4	6	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	8	R Tanner	6	6	6
		B Manson	1	4	4					8	R Tanner	4	4	6	2
		C Kirmayr	6	6	6	6					C Kirmayr	6	6	3	6
	WC	M Cox	3	7	4	4														C Kirmayr	6	3	3
		L Stefanki	1	6	3															R Frawley	7	6	6
	Q	C Letcher	6	7	6					Q	C Letcher	3	1	3
		R Frawley	4	6	6	6					R Frawley	6	6	6
		T Tulasne	6	2	3	0																							R Frawley	6	6	7
		J Austin	7	2	2	2																							J Fitzgerald	4	3	6
	Q	M Wilander	6	6	6	6				Q	M Wilander	4	6	6	6
	WC	J Alexander	4	6	4	2				LL	H Leconte	6	4	2	2
	LL	H Leconte	6	2	6	6													Q	M Wilander	0	6	2	2
		J Fitzgerald	5	7	6	6														J Fitzgerald	6	4	6	6
	Q	S McCain	7	6	2	3					J Fitzgerald	6	6	6
		W Scanlon	7	6	6						W Scanlon	1	2	2
	11	V Pecci	6	0	0

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	10	G Vilas	4	1	6	6	3
		M Edmondson	6	6	1	4	6				M Edmondson	4	3	7	5
	WC	R Lewis	5	6	4	4					F Buehning	6	6	5	7
		F Buehning	7	4	6	6														F Buehning	4	6	6	7	1
		S Krulevitz	6	6	4	4	3													A Mayer	6	2	7	5	6
		H Simonsson	4	2	6	6	6				H Simonsson	2	1	6
		I Năstase	4	6	6	4	4				A Mayer	6	6	7
		A Mayer	6	4	4	6	6																						A Mayer	3	4	6
	WC	A Jarrett	3	7	3	6																							T Mayotte	6	6	7
		J Sadri	6	6	6	7					J Sadri	7	6	6	6
		C Roger-Vasselin	6	6	7						C Roger-Vasselin	6	7	3	4
		J López-Maeso	4	4	6															J Sadri	6	3	5
		T Mayotte	6	6	6															T Mayotte	7	6	7
		B Mitton	3	4	2						T Mayotte	4	6	7	6
	Q	C Fancutt	4	6	6	1	6			Q	C Fancutt	6	4	6	3
	4	I Lendl	6	3	4	6	3

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	LL	M Estep	0	3	7	3
		J Kriek	6	6	6	6					J Kriek	6	6	6
	Q	S Menon	4	0	6	4				LL	J Nyström	2	4	4
	LL	J Nyström	6	6	3	6														J Kriek	7	3	6	7
		R Simpson	7	6	7															R Simpson	6	6	2	5
	LL	S Denton	6	3	6						R Simpson	6	6	3	6
	Q	G Moretton	4	6	6	6				Q	G Moretton	4	4	6	3
		J Fillol	6	3	2	3																							J Kriek	3	6	7	6
		P Složil	3	4	2																								F González	6	3	6	1
		P McNamee	6	6	6						P McNamee	6	6	6
	LL	C Johnstone	6	6	4	4	6			LL	C Johnstone	2	1	2
	Q	C Miller	4	1	6	6	3													P McNamee	4	2	2
		F González	6	7	6															F González	6	6	6
		C Freyss	0	5	2						F González	6	6	7	6
		E Fromm	6	6	6						E Fromm	3	7	5	3
	13	Y Noah	4	4	3

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	15	B Taróczy	7	6	6
		A Järryd	6	4	3					15	B Taróczy	7	6	7
		R Hightower	2	2	4						R Meyer	6	3	6
		R Meyer	6	6	6														15	B Taróczy	3	2	3
		H Ismail	3	1	3															S Smith	6	6	6
		S Smith	6	6	6						S Smith	6	7	7
		R Fagel	1	2	1						R Case	3	6	6
		R Case	6	6	6																								S Smith	5	6	1	2
		D Carter	3	7	6	1	3																					2	J McEnroe	7	3	6	6
		R Lutz	6	6	4	6	6				R Lutz	6	7	6
		F Maynetto	6	2	1					WC	J Feaver	3	5	1
	WC	J Feaver	7	6	6															R Lutz	4	2	0
		R Moore	4	5	2														2	J McEnroe	6	6	6
		R Ramírez	6	7	6						R Ramírez	3	78	3	66
		To Gullikson	65	5	3					2	J McEnroe	6	66	6	78
	2	J McEnroe	77	7	6

• Source for the draw at Wimbledon.com
• "Wimbledon 1981 – Singles Draw".atpworldtour.com.ATP World Tour. Retrieved1 December 2017.
• 1981 Wimbledon Championships – Men's draws and results at theInternational Tennis Federation

• 1981 Wimbledon Championships
• 1981 Grand Prix (tennis)
• Wimbledon Championship by year – Men's singles

• Use dmy dates from April 2022
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata