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

Two-time defending championJohn McEnroe defeatedBjörn 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 the1981 US Open. It was his thirdUS Open singles title and fourthmajor 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 the14th 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.^{[citation needed]}

The seeded players are listed below.John McEnroe is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.

• Q =Qualifier
• WC =Wild card
• LL =Lucky loser
• r =Retired

	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

	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

	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

	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

	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

	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

	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

	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

	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

• Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) – 1981 US Open Men's Singles draw
• 1981 US Open – Men's draws and results at theInternational Tennis Federation

• 1981 US Open (tennis)
• 1981 Grand Prix (tennis)
• US Open (tennis) by year – Men's singles

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