1981 Wimbledon Championships – Men's Singles

Men's Singles
1981 Wimbledon Championships
Champion	John McEnroe
Runner-up	Björn Borg
Final score	4–6, 7–6^(7–1), 7–6^(7–4), 6–4
Draw	128 (16Q / 8WC)
Seeds	16

John McEnroe defeated Björn Borg 4–6, 7–6^(7–1), 7–6^(7–4), 6–4 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles tennis title at the 1981 Wimbledon Championships.

Seeds

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

1. Björn Borg (Finalist)
2. John McEnroe (Champion)
3. Jimmy Connors (Semifinals)
4. Ivan Lendl (First round)
5. Gene Mayer (Withdrew before the tournament began)^[1]
6. Brian Teacher (Second round)
7. Brian Gottfried (Second round)
8. Roscoe Tanner (Second round)
9. José Luis Clerc (Third round)
10. Guillermo Vilas (First round)
11. Víctor Pecci, Sr. (First round)
12. Peter McNamara (Quarterfinals)
13. Yannick Noah (First round)
14. Wojciech Fibak (Fourth round)
15. Balázs Taróczy (Third round)
16. Vitas Gerulaitis (Fourth round)

Gene Mayer was replaced in the draw by Lucky Loser Mike Estep (USA).

Draw

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild Card
• LL = Lucky Loser
• r. = retired

Finals

	Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Finals
	1	Björn Borg	7	6	6
	12	Peter McNamara	6	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	6^1	6^4	4
																			2	John McEnroe	4	7^7	7^7	6
		Rod Frawley	4	7	7	6
		Tim Mayotte	6	6	6	3
											Rod Frawley	6	4	5
										2	John McEnroe	7	6	7
		Johan Kriek	1	5	1
	2	John McEnroe	6	7	6

Section 1

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	1	Borg	7	6	6
		Rennert	6	3	1					1	Borg	6	6	6
	Q	Collings	4	3	3						Purcell	4	1	3
		Purcell	6	6	6														1	Borg	6	7	6
		Taygan	7	6	6															Gehring	4	5	0
		Saviano	5	1	2						Taygan	5	1	6
	LL	Marten	6	2	7	0					Gehring	7	6	7
		Gehring	7	6	6	6																						1	Borg	7	7	7
		Amaya	6	7	6	7																						16	Gerulaitis	6	5	6
		Feigl	4	6	7	6					Amaya	6	6	6
		Mottram	6	6	4	6					Mottram	3	4	2
	WC	Drysdale	1	4	6	3														Amaya	6	4	6	3	5
	Q	Bailey	7	6	3	6	4												16	Gerulaitis	4	6	3	6	7
		Curren	6	4	6	7	6				Curren	3	7	3	3
	Q	Holroyd	3	4	6					16	Gerulaitis	6	6	6	6
	16	Gerulaitis	6	6	7

Section 2

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	12	McNamara	6	6	2	7
		Günthardt	1	2	6	5				12	McNamara	6	6	6
		Delaney	5	3	7	3					Stewart	4	0	1
		Stewart	7	6	6	6													12	McNamara	6	6	7
		Giménez	6	7	6															Pattison	1	0	5
	Q	Windahl	3	5	2						Giménez	6	6	7	1	4
		Giammalva, Jr.	3	7	3	6					Pattison	4	7	6	6	6
		Pattison	6	6	6	7																						12	McNamara	7	6	7
		Tim Gullikson	6	6	6																								Borowiak	6	0	6
		Rinaldini	1	2	3						Tim Gullikson	3	7	7	6
		Fleming	7	6	2	7					Fleming	6	6	6	3
		Docherty	6	2	6	6														Tim Gullikson	3	6	6	3
	Q	Van Dillen	2	4	6	2														Borowiak	6	7	4	6
		Borowiak	6	6	4	6					Borowiak	6	7	6
		Walts	3	3	2					7	Gottfried	4	6	4
	7	Gottfried	6	6	6

Section 3

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	3	Connors	6	6	6
		Stockton	1	2	4					3	Connors	7	7	6
		Lewis	6	7	0	6	6				Lewis	6	6	3
	Q	Dunk	7	6	6	4	4												3	Connors	6	6	6
		Šmid	5	3	6	2														Giammalva	4	4	0
		Du Pré	7	6	3	6					Du Pré	3	4	6	3
		Giammalva	6	7	6						Giammalva	6	6	1	6
	LL	Davis	2	6	2																							3	Connors	6	6	6
	Q	Wittus	6	6	6																							14	Fibak	3	2	4
		Edwards	4	4	4					Q	Wittus	3	4	0
		Drewett	7	4	6	6					Drewett	6	6	6
		Hocevar	6	6	4	3														Drewett	6	1	6	6	4
	Q	Davis	7	5	2	7	6												14	Fibak	7	6	3	3	6
		Glickstein	5	7	6	5	4			Q	Davis	4	4	2
		Doyle	4	7	4	5				14	Fibak	6	6	6
	14	Fibak	6	6	6	7

Section 4

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	9	Clerc	3	6	2	6	9
	LL	Fillol	6	3	6	4	7			9	Clerc	4	6	7	6
	WC	Lloyd	6	3	4	6	6			WC	Lloyd	6	3	6	4
		Dent	4	6	6	3	4												9	Clerc	6	4	1	6
		Portes	7	6	2	6														Kronk	2	6	6	7
	Q	Pascoe	5	7	6	7				Q	Pascoe	5	3	4
		Kronk	6	6	3	6					Kronk	7	6	6
		Martin	2	3	6	3																							Kronk	3	3	2
		Van't Hof	6	6	6																								Amritraj	6	6	6
		Eberhard	4	4	4						Van't Hof	3	4	2
		Okker	5	7	4	6					Wilkison	6	6	6
		Wilkison	7	5	6	7														Wilkison	3	2	6	4
		Amritraj	6	6	7															Amritraj	6	6	3	6
	WC	Kodeš	0	1	5						Amritraj	6	2	2	6	6
		Stadler	6	0	3	3				6	Teacher	4	6	6	2	1
	6	Teacher	4	6	6	6

Section 5

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	8	Tanner	6	6	6
		Manson	1	4	4					8	Tanner	4	4	6	2
		Kirmayr	6	6	6	6					Kirmayr	6	6	3	6
	WC	Cox	3	7	4	4														Kirmayr	6	3	3
		Stefanki	1	6	3															Frawley	7	6	6
	Q	Letcher	6	7	6					Q	Letcher	3	1	3
		Frawley	4	6	6	6					Frawley	6	6	6
		Tulasne	6	2	3	0																							Frawley	6	6	7
		Austin	7	2	2	2																							Fitzgerald	4	3	6
	Q	Wilander	6	6	6	6				Q	Wilander	4	6	6	6
	WC	Alexander	4	6	4	2				LL	Leconte	6	4	2	2
	LL	Leconte	6	2	6	6													Q	Wilander	0	6	2	2
		Fitzgerald	5	7	6	6														Fitzgerald	6	4	6	6
	Q	McCain	7	6	2	3					Fitzgerald	6	6	6
		Scanlon	7	6	6						Scanlon	1	2	2
	11	Pecci, Sr.	6	0	0

Section 6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	10	Vilas	4	1	6	6	3
		Edmondson	6	6	1	4	6				Edmondson	4	3	7	5
	WC	Lewis	5	6	4	4					Buehning	6	6	5	7
		Buehning	7	4	6	6														Buehning	4	6	6	7	1
		Krulevitz	6	6	4	4	3													Mayer	6	2	7	5	6
		Simonsson	4	2	6	6	6				Simonsson	2	1	6
		Năstase	4	6	6	4	4				Mayer	6	6	7
		Mayer	6	4	4	6	6																						Mayer	3	4	6
	WC	Jarrett	3	7	3	6																							Mayotte	6	6	7
		Sadri	6	6	6	7					Sadri	7	6	6	6
		Roger-Vasselin	6	6	7						Roger-Vasselin	6	7	3	4
		López-Maeso	4	4	6															Sadri	6	3	5
		Mayotte	6	6	6															Mayotte	7	6	7
		Mitton	3	4	2						Mayotte	4	6	7	6
	Q	Fancutt	4	6	6	1	6			Q	Fancutt	6	4	6	3
	4	Lendl	6	3	4	6	3

Section 7

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	LL	Estep	0	3	7	3
		Kriek	6	6	6	6					Kriek	6	6	6
	Q	Menon	4	0	6	4				LL	Nyström	2	4	4
	LL	Nyström	6	6	3	6														Kriek	7	3	6	7
		Simpson	7	6	7															Simpson	6	6	2	5
	LL	Denton	6	3	6						Simpson	6	6	3	6
	Q	Moretton	4	6	6	6				Q	Moretton	4	4	6	3
		Fillol, Sr.	6	3	2	3																							Kriek	3	6	7	6
		Složil	3	4	2																								González	6	3	6	1
		McNamee	6	6	6						McNamee	6	6	6
	LL	Johnstone	6	6	4	4	6			LL	Johnstone	2	1	2
	Q	Miller	4	1	6	6	3													McNamee	4	2	2
		González	6	7	6															González	6	6	6
		Freyss	0	5	2						González	6	6	7	6
		Fromm	6	6	6						Fromm	3	7	5	3
	13	Noah	4	4	3

Section 8

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	15	Taróczy	7	6	6
		Järryd	6	4	3					15	Taróczy	7	6	7
		Hightower	2	2	4						Meyer	6	3	6
		Meyer	6	6	6														15	Taróczy	3	2	3
		Ismail	3	1	3															Smith	6	6	6
		Smith	6	6	6						Smith	6	7	7
		Fagel	1	2	1						Case	3	6	6
		Case	6	6	6																								Smith	5	6	1	2
		Carter	3	7	6	1	3																					2	McEnroe	7	3	6	6
		Lutz	6	6	4	6	6				Lutz	6	7	6
		Maynetto	6	2	1					WC	Feaver	3	5	1
	WC	Feaver	7	6	6															Lutz	4	2	0
		Moore	4	5	2														2	McEnroe	6	6	6
		Ramírez	6	7	6						Ramírez	3	7	3	6
		Tom Gullikson	6	5	3					2	McEnroe	6	6	6	7
	2	McEnroe	7	7	6

See also

• Borg–McEnroe rivalry

References

1. Wimbledon: The Official History of the Championships. Barrett, John. Collins Willow 2011 ISBN 0-00-711707-8

External links

• Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) – 1981 Wimbledon Men's Singles draw