ATP US Open 1981 Draw, Results & Schedule

John McEnroe won the 1981 US Open, defeating Bjorn Borg 4-6 6-2 6-4 6-3 in the final. The Grand Slam was played on hard courts in New York, United States, from September 1 to September 15, 1981. The match log contains 126 recorded singles results for this edition.

The US Open is the final Grand Slam tournament of the calendar year and continues the lineage of the U.S. National Championships.

Full tournament history →
Champion
John McEnroe
def. Bjorn Borg , 4-6 6-2 6-4 6-3
Dates
Sep 1 — Sep 15
Location
New York, United States
Category
Grand Slam
Surface
Hard
Prize money
—

Results

US Open 1981 match log
WinnerScoreLoserH2HMatch DataDateRound
F (1)
John McEnroe #1DEF · 2× 4-6 6-2 6-4 6-3 Bjorn Borg #2 H2H Match data Sep 15, 1981* F
SF (2)
Bjorn Borg #2 6-2 7-5 6-4 Jimmy Connors #33× CH H2H Match data Sep 14, 1981* SF
John McEnroe #1DEF · 2× 5-7 6-3 6-2 4-6 6-3 Vitas Gerulaitis #12 H2H Match data Sep 14, 1981* SF
QF (4)
Jimmy Connors 3× CH 6-3 6-1 6-2 Eliot Teltscher H2H Match data Sep 12, 1981* QF
Bjorn Borg 7-6 6-3 6-7 7-6 Roscoe Tanner H2H Match data Sep 12, 1981* QF
John McEnroe DEF · 2× 6-7 7-6 6-4 6-2 Ramesh Krishnan H2H Match data Sep 12, 1981* QF
Vitas Gerulaitis 6-4 6-2 4-6 6-1 Bruce Manson H2H Match data Sep 12, 1981* QF
R16 (8)
Vitas Gerulaitis 6-3 6-4 3-6 3-6 6-4 Ivan Lendl H2H Match data Sep 10, 1981* R16
Ramesh Krishnan 4-6 1-6 7-6 7-5? Gene Mayer H2H Match data Sep 10, 1981* R16 Upset: winner had a 8 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
John McEnroe DEF · 2× 7-5 6-0 6-1 Kevin Curren H2H Match data Sep 10, 1981* R16
Jimmy Connors 3× CH 6-3 6-3 6-1 Mike Cahill H2H Match data Sep 10, 1981* R16
Roscoe Tanner 6-4 6-2 7-6 Guillermo Vilas CH H2H Match data Sep 10, 1981* R16
Bruce Manson 6-3 7-6 6-3 Jose Luis Clerc H2H Match data Sep 10, 1981* R16 Upset: winner had a 8 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Bjorn Borg 6-7 6-4 6-3 6-3 Yannick Noah H2H Match data Sep 10, 1981* R16
Eliot Teltscher 6-4 6-0 5-7 1-6 6-3 Brian Gottfried H2H Match data Sep 10, 1981* R16
R32 (16)
John McEnroe #1DEF · 2× 6-3 6-2 6-3 Pat Dupre #80 H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Eliot Teltscher #8 6-2 6-4 6-0 Vijay Amritraj #24 H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Bjorn Borg #2 6-2 6-2 6-2 David Carter H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Bruce Manson #74 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-2 Peter Mcnamara — Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32 Upset: winner had a 20 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Vitas Gerulaitis #17 6-3 6-2 6-3 Harold Solomon #19 H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Jimmy Connors #43× CH 6-7 6-3 6-1 4-6 7-6 Andres Gomez #50 H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Guillermo Vilas #6CH 6-4 4-6 7-5 6-4 Adriano Panatta #21 H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Gene Mayer #7 6-4 6-4 6-1 Dick Stockton H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Ramesh Krishnan 6-2 7-5 6-7 6-4 Marty Davis H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Brian Gottfried #18 6-2 6-3 6-7 7-6 Tim Mayotte #42 H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Mike Cahill 4-6 6-2 6-1 6-4 Johan Kriek #12 H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32 Upset: winner had a 13 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Jose Luis Clerc #5 6-3 0-6 0-6 6-4 6-3 Mel Purcell #28 H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Roscoe Tanner #9 7-6 6-1 6-2 Chris Mayotte H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Ivan Lendl #3 6-4 3-6 6-2 6-3 Mark Vines H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Yannick Noah #14 6-3 6-4 6-4 Trey Waltke #60 H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Kevin Curren #45 6-3 7-5 6-2 Mark Edmondson #52 H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
R64 (31)
Pat Dupre #80 6-4 6-2 6-4 Chip Hooper H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Johan Kriek #12 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-0 Matt Doyle — Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Bjorn Borg #2 6-4 6-4 6-4 Larry Stefanki H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
John McEnroe #1DEF · 2× 6-3 6-1 6-3 Tom Gullikson — Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
David Carter 4-6 6-2 1-6 6-4 6-0 Sammy Giammalva Jr — Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Peter Mcnamara 6-4 6-2 5-7 6-3 Peter Fleming #92 — Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Vijay Amritraj #24 7-5 6-3 6-4 Gilles Moretton #83 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Marty Davis 2-6 7-6 6-2 6-4 Brian Teacher #10 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64 Upset: winner had a 6 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Yannick Noah #14 6-4 6-2 4-6 7-5 Erik Van Dillen — Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Brian Gottfried #18 7-6 6-4 6-2 Butch Walts #67 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Mike Cahill 6-4 6-1 7-6 Andrew Pattison — Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Jimmy Connors #43× CH 7-6 6-4 6-3 Marko Ostoja H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Vitas Gerulaitis #17 7-5 6-0 6-1 Alejandro Cortes H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Kevin Curren #45 4-6 6-3 6-7 6-1 6-3 Jay Lapidus H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Trey Waltke #60 6-3 6-3 7-6 Bernard Fritz #97 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Jose Luis Clerc #5 6-4 5-7 6-4 5-7 7-6 Tim Wilkison #81 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Mel Purcell #28 6-4 6-4 7-5 Shlomo Glickstein #37 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Andres Gomez #50 6-4 6-3 6-3 Chris Lewis #48 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Dick Stockton 6-4 6-4 6-2 Steve Krulevitz H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Ivan Lendl #3 7-6 6-1 7-6 Jeff Borowiak #82 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Mark Edmondson #52 4-6 3-6 6-1 6-4 6-2 Christophe Roger-Vasselin #98 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Roscoe Tanner #9 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-1 Chris Delaney H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Chris Mayotte 6-4 5-7 7-5 4-6 6-0 John James H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Eliot Teltscher #8 6-2 6-2 6-2 John Austin — Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Bruce Manson #74 6-0 6-2 3-6 4-6 6-2 Richard Meyer H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Guillermo Vilas #6CH 6-1 6-3 6-2 Raul Ramirez #36 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Harold Solomon #19 7-6 7-6 3-3 (ret.) Jimmy Arias #75 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Tim Mayotte #42 6-3 3-6 4-6 6-1 6-2 Scott Mccain H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Mark Vines 6-1 5-7 6-1 6-4 Eddie Edwards H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Adriano Panatta #21 7-5 6-3 6-1 Roland Stadler #96 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
Gene Mayer #7 6-4 6-2 6-3 Fritz Buehning #23 H2H Match data Sep 5, 1981* R64
R128 (64)
Vitas Gerulaitis #17 4-6 6-3 6-0 3-6 6-2 Terry Moor #49 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Jimmy Connors #43× CH 6-0 6-0 6-2 John Lloyd — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Mike Cahill 6-3 6-3 6-4 Steve Meister H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Gilles Moretton #83 6-3 3-6 4-6 7-6 6-3 Ernie Fernandez H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Pat Dupre #80 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-2 Jim Delaney H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Mel Purcell #28 3-6 6-3 6-4 3-6 6-3 Ilie Nastase #78CH H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Marty Davis 6-3 7-5 3-6 6-1 Lloyd Bourne H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Alejandro Cortes 6-3 4-6 4-6 7-6 7-5 Jimmy Brown — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Jeff Borowiak #82 6-2 6-3 6-1 Pascal Portes #72 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Vijay Amritraj #24 6-3 6-4 6-2 Scott Davis H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Fritz Buehning #23 7-5 3-6 4-6 6-1 6-3 Craig Wittus H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Tim Mayotte #42 6-3 6-4 6-7 6-3 Steve Denton H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Guillermo Vilas #6CH 6-3 6-7 6-0 6-4 Drew Gitlin H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Bruce Manson #74 6-0 6-0 6-2 Danny Saltz H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Tom Gullikson 6-1 6-4 6-4 Dominique Bedel — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Trey Waltke #60 7-6 6-4 1-6 4-6 7-5 Sherwood Stewart — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Chris Mayotte 6-1 6-4 6-4 Derek Segal H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Ramesh Krishnan 6-1 6-1 6-3 Per Hjertquist #91 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Jose Luis Clerc #5 6-4 6-3 6-3 Brad Drewett #76 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Mark Vines 6-3 2-6 6-2 4-3 (ret.) Russell Simpson #85 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Kevin Curren #45 7-6 6-4 7-6 Wojtek Fibak #15 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Andres Gomez #50 7-6 6-3 6-2 Van Winitsky H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
John James 6-4 6-4 5-7 6-4 Bruce Nichols H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Matt Doyle 6-2 6-2 5-7 6-2 Jim Gurfein — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Yannick Noah #14 6-3 6-3 6-7 4-6 6-2 Andy Andrews H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Eliot Teltscher #8 6-2 6-2 6-4 Victor Amaya #43 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Bernard Fritz #97 6-2 2-6 6-1 7-5 Tony Giammalva #79 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Brian Teacher #10 6-3 6-2 7-5 Bill Scanlon #35 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Larry Stefanki 6-7 7-5 6-4 3-6 6-3 Phil Dent #53 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128 Upset: winner had a 16 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Peter Fleming #92 6-2 6-4 6-2 Mike Fishbach H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Roscoe Tanner #9 6-3 6-3 6-4 Craig Edwards H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Jay Lapidus 4-6 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-2 Mario Martinez — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
David Carter 7-6 2-6 7-6 6-2 Jaime Fillol #94 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Brian Gottfried #18 6-4 6-4 6-1 Vincent Van Patten — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
John McEnroe #1DEF · 2× 6-7 6-1 6-3 6-2 Juan Nunez H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Tim Wilkison #81 6-4 2-6 7-6 6-4 John Alexander H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Stan Smith CH 5-7 6-7 7-5 6-4 7-6 John Sadri #22 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Andrew Pattison 7-6 7-5 7-6 Marcel Freeman — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Jimmy Arias #75 6-1 7-6 6-2 Syd Ball H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Eddie Edwards 6-3 7-6 6-7 6-4 Eric Fromm H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Johan Kriek #12 6-2 6-3 7-5 Mike De Palmer — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Ivan Lendl #3 6-2 6-2 6-2 Hans Simonsson #100 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Bjorn Borg #2 6-2 6-2 6-0 Markus Gunthardt H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Roland Stadler #96 6-4 7-5 5-7 6-2 Steve Docherty H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Butch Walts #67 7-6 6-4 6-7 2-6 6-1 Rick Fagel H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
John Austin 6-2 6-7 6-1 6-4 Nick Saviano #86 — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Chip Hooper 7-6 2-6 6-3 3-6 6-1 Tim Gullikson — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128 Upset: winner had a 11 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Adriano Panatta #21 7-6 4-6 6-3 6-2 Ferdi Taygan H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Peter Mcnamara 7-6 2-6 6-3 6-3 John Fitzgerald #54 — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Shlomo Glickstein #37 6-4 6-4 6-2 Jonathan Smith — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Harold Solomon #19 6-0 6-1 6-7 6-1 Derek Tarr H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Mark Edmondson #52 6-3 6-2 6-1 Ivan Dupasquier H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Richard Meyer 6-3 6-4 7-6 Bernie Mitton H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Dick Stockton 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 Thierry Tulasne #58 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Scott Mccain 7-5 6-4 6-2 Bill Cowan H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Erik Van Dillen 4-6 6-0 4-6 6-1 6-4 John Benson — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Raul Ramirez #36 6-3 6-2 6-4 Haroon Ismail H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Chris Delaney 6-2 7-6 6-2 Ross Case H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Steve Krulevitz 6-3 6-2 2-6 7-5 Francisco Gonzalez H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Sammy Giammalva Jr 6-4 4-6 6-3 1-6 6-1 Heinz Gunthardt #47 — Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Gene Mayer #7 6-4 6-2 6-2 John Hayes H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Christophe Roger-Vasselin #98 7-5 6-4 6-4 Andy Kohlberg H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Chris Lewis #48 7-5 7-6 6-2 Hank Pfister #66 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Marko Ostoja 6-1 6-2 6-2 Pedro Rebolledo #70 H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128

Tournament Records

The leading Open Era records for US Open.

Most Titles

Open Era singles titles. 3 players share this record.

  1. Jimmy Connors 5 titles

Most Finals

Champion or runner-up finishes.

  1. Novak Djokovic 10 finals

Most Match Wins

Recorded main-draw match wins.

  1. Jimmy Connors 98 wins

Most Appearances

Editions with a recorded main-draw match.

  1. Jimmy Connors 22 appearances

View the full US Open record book →

Open Era main-draw singles records from 1968 onward. Ranking records begin where reliable entering rankings are available.

Recent Finals

Recent US Open finals
WinnerScoreRunner-upH2HMatch DataSeasonSurface
Carlos Alcaraz #1 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-4 Jannik Sinner #2 H2H Match data 2025 Hard
Jannik Sinner #1 6-3 6-4 7-5 Taylor Fritz #12 H2H Match data 2024 Hard
Novak Djokovic #2 6-3 7-6(5) 6-3 Daniil Medvedev #3 H2H Match data 2023 Hard
Carlos Alcaraz #4 6-4 2-6 7-6(1) 6-3 Casper Ruud #7 H2H Match data 2022 Hard
Daniil Medvedev #2 6-4 6-4 6-4 Novak Djokovic #1 H2H Match data 2021 Hard

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Related Tournaments

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Other Grand Slam tournaments in 1981

Previous editions of US Open

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is US Open held?
US Open is held in New York, United States.
Who won the most recent US Open?
The 2025 US Open was won by Carlos Alcaraz, who defeated Jannik Sinner 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-4.
Who has won the most US Open titles?
Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, and Roger Federer are tied for the most US Open titles in the Open Era (since 1968), with 5 each.
When was the first US Open played?
The first edition of US Open was held in 1881.
What surface is US Open played on?
US Open is played on hard courts.