WTA US Open 1981 Draw, Results & Schedule

Tracy Austin won the 1981 US Open, defeating Martina Navratilova 1-6 7-6 7-6 in the final. The Grand Slam was played on hard courts in New York, United States, from September 1 to September 14, 1981. The match log contains 127 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
Tracy Austin
def. Martina Navratilova , 1-6 7-6 7-6
Dates
Sep 1 — Sep 14
Location
New York, United States
Category
Grand Slam
Surface
Hard
Prize money
—

Results

US Open 1981 match log
WinnerScoreLoserH2HMatch DataDateRound
F (1)
Tracy Austin 1-6 7-6 7-6 Martina Navratilova H2H Match data Sep 14, 1981* F
SF (2)
Tracy Austin 6-1 6-3 Barbara Potter H2H Match data Sep 13, 1981* SF
Martina Navratilova 7-5 4-6 6-4 Chris Evert H2H Match data Sep 13, 1981* SF
QF (4)
Chris Evert 6-1 6-3 Hana Mandlikova H2H Match data Sep 11, 1981* QF
Barbara Potter 7-5 7-5 Barbara Gerken H2H Match data Sep 11, 1981* QF
Martina Navratilova 7-5 6-4 Anne Smith H2H Match data Sep 11, 1981* QF
Tracy Austin 6-4 6-3 Sylvia Hanika H2H Match data Sep 11, 1981* QF
R16 (8)
Chris Evert 6-2 6-0 Bettina Bunge H2H Match data Sep 9, 1981* R16
Barbara Potter 6-7 7-6 6-3 Andrea Leand H2H Match data Sep 9, 1981* R16
Martina Navratilova 6-0 6-1 Kathy Jordan H2H Match data Sep 9, 1981* R16
Sylvia Hanika 6-2 7-5 Sharon Walsh Pete H2H Match data Sep 9, 1981* R16
Tracy Austin 6-1 6-3 Rosie Casals H2H Match data Sep 9, 1981* R16
Barbara Gerken 7-6 6-1 Jo Durie H2H Match data Sep 9, 1981* R16 Upset: winner had a 14 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Anne Smith 6-4 1-6 7-5 Pam Shriver H2H Match data Sep 9, 1981* R16 Upset: winner had a 19 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Hana Mandlikova 6-1 6-0 Duk Hee Lee H2H Match data Sep 9, 1981* R16
R32 (16)
Kathy Jordan 6-2 6-1 Corinne Vanier H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Barbara Gerken 7-5 6-3 Wendy Turnbull H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32 Upset: winner had a 7 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Barbara Potter 4-6 6-2 7-5 Lindsay Morse H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Hana Mandlikova 6-2 6-1 Glynis Coles H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Bettina Bunge 2-6 7-6 6-3 Leigh Anne Thompson H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Pam Shriver 6-3 6-2 Renata Tomanova H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Anne Smith 6-1 6-0 Joyce Portman H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Duk Hee Lee 6-1 4-6 7-5 Virginia Ruzici H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32 Upset: winner had a 10 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Sharon Walsh Pete 7-5 4-6 6-3 Virginia Wade H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Andrea Leand 6-4 6-3 Julie Harrington H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Chris Evert 6-3 6-0 Alycia Moulton H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Jo Durie 6-4 3-6 6-4 Kathy Horvath H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Sylvia Hanika 4-6 6-1 6-2 Marcella Mesker H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Rosie Casals 3-6 6-1 6-4 Sherry Acker H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Martina Navratilova 6-2 6-1 Joanne Russell H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
Tracy Austin 6-3 6-0 Pam Casale H2H Match data Sep 7, 1981* R32
R64 (32)
Corinne Vanier 6-2 2-6 7-6 Tanya Harford H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Joanne Russell 6-2 6-4 Marjorie Blackwood H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Wendy Turnbull 6-1 6-3 Lucia Romanov H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Julie Harrington 6-4 1-6 6-6 (ret.) Yvonne Vermaak H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Barbara Gerken 6-4 7-5 Andrea Whitmore H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Andrea Leand 1-6 7-5 6-3 Andrea Jaeger H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64 Upset: winner had a 1 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Pam Casale 6-4 6-0 Kate Gompert H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Anne Smith 6-0 6-0 Roberta Mccallum H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Barbara Potter 6-3 6-2 Susan Rollinson H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Marcella Mesker 6-2 6-2 Elly Appel H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Sharon Walsh Pete 5-7 6-3 (ret.) Sue Barker H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Joyce Portman 7-5 6-6 Lisa Doherty H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Duk Hee Lee 6-7 6-4 7-6 Susan Mascarin H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Alycia Moulton 6-3 7-5 Mareen Louie Harper H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Kathy Jordan 6-1 6-1 Catherine Tanvier H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Virginia Wade 6-1 6-3 Jennifer Mundel H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Pam Shriver 6-0 6-3 Jeanne Duvall H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Sylvia Hanika 7-5 6-2 Rene Blount H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Leigh Anne Thompson 6-1 6-1 Kim Jones H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Jo Durie 6-3 6-3 Barbara Hallquist H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Sherry Acker 6-4 6-6 Diane Morrison H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Virginia Ruzici 5-7 7-5 6-2 Elise Burgin H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Chris Evert 6-0 6-1 Kate Latham H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Bettina Bunge 6-3 3-6 6-3 Ann Kiyomura Hayashi H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Renata Tomanova 6-4 6-2 Vicki Nelson H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Hana Mandlikova 6-4 6-4 Candy Reynolds H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Martina Navratilova 6-2 6-3 Anne White H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Tracy Austin 6-3 6-0 Betsy Nagelsen H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Lindsay Morse 6-2 6-4 Paula Smith H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Kathy Horvath 6-3 6-7 6-3 Mima Jausovec H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Rosie Casals 6-0 6-2 Jodi Appelbaum H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
Glynis Coles 6-3 7-6 Barbara Jordan H2H Match data Sep 4, 1981* R64
R128 (64)
Mareen Louie Harper 6-3 6-0 Deborah Jevans H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Julie Harrington 6-0 6-3 Beatrix Klein H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Lisa Doherty 7-5 6-1 Naoko Sato H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Jodi Appelbaum 4-6 6-3 6-2 Liz Smylie H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Hana Mandlikova 6-7 7-6 6-3 Mary Lou Piatek H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Kate Gompert 7-5 6-3 Patricia Medrado H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Tanya Harford 6-4 6-2 Yvona Brzakova H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Barbara Hallquist 6-4 3-6 6-2 Trey Lewis H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Catherine Tanvier 6-2 5-7 6-1 Pilar Vasquez H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Jennifer Mundel 7-5 6-1 Jean Hepner H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Corinne Vanier 1-6 6-2 6-3 Leslie Allen H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128 Upset: winner had a 16 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Glynis Coles 6-3 6-0 Sheila Mcinerney H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Pam Casale 6-2 6-1 Iva Budarova H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Jeanne Duvall 3-6 6-4 6-0 Stacy Margolin H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Joyce Portman 6-2 7-5 Jill Davis H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Lindsay Morse 6-3 6-2 Debbie Freeman H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Barbara Potter 6-7 6-1 6-2 Claudia Kohde Kilsch H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Elise Burgin 6-3 6-3 Lea Antonoplis H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Sharon Walsh Pete 6-1 6-3 Kathleen Cummings H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Anne Smith 6-3 6-3 Dianne Fromholtz H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Diane Morrison 0-6 6-3 6-3 Anne Minter H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Mima Jausovec 6-2 6-2 Laura Arraya H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Tracy Austin 6-1 6-2 Anne Hobbs H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Anne White 4-6 6-1 6-2 Claudia Pasquale H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Marjorie Blackwood 6-4 6-4 Kim Steinmetz H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Roberta Mccallum 6-2 6-3 Jane Preyer H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Yvonne Vermaak 2-6 6-1 6-2 Beth Norton H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Vicki Nelson 6-2 1-6 7-6 Beth Herr H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Kathy Jordan 6-0 6-1 Elizabeth Little H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Barbara Gerken 6-3 6-4 Rosalyn Fairbank H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Rosie Casals 6-2 6-2 Regina Marsikova H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128 Upset: winner had a 11 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Andrea Leand 6-4 2-6 7-5 Renee Richards H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Rene Blount 6-2 6-0 Lucy Gordon H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Bettina Bunge 6-2 6-1 Marcie Louie H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Lucia Romanov 2-6 6-1 6-0 Tina Mochizuki H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Kathy Horvath 7-5 3-6 7-5 Kathy Rinaldi Stunkel H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Andrea Whitmore 6-3 6-2 Eva Pfaff H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Virginia Ruzici 6-2 6-1 Wendy White H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Sherry Acker 7-6 6-4 Betty Ann Grubb H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Kate Latham 6-1 6-2 Sue Saliba H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Sylvia Hanika 6-2 6-2 Brenda Remilton H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Susan Mascarin 3-6 6-2 6-4 Nancy Yeargin H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Jo Durie 6-3 6-3 Diane Desfor H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Chris Evert 6-1 6-1 Kathrin Keil H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Susan Rollinson 6-4 6-2 Kate Brasher H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Wendy Turnbull 3-6 6-3 6-2 Zina Garrison H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Sue Barker 6-4 4-6 6-3 Laura Dupont H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Duk Hee Lee 6-3 6-4 Susan Leo H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Barbara Jordan 7-5 6-1 Felicia Hutnick H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Kim Jones 6-3 6-4 Marie Pinterova H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Marcella Mesker 6-3 6-2 Katerina Bohmova H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Joanne Russell 1-6 6-3 6-3 Lisa Bonder Kreiss H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Candy Reynolds 6-3 6-0 Kim Sands H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Leigh Anne Thompson 6-4 6-3 Sandy Collins H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128 Upset: winner had a 16 percent pre-match Elo win probability.
Renata Tomanova 6-3 6-3 Lele Forood H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Alycia Moulton 6-2 6-0 Betty Stove H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Elly Appel 6-4 6-4 Anna Maria Fernandez H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Virginia Wade 6-3 6-7 6-2 Pam Teeguarden H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Betsy Nagelsen 7-5 6-3 Carol Baily H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Martina Navratilova 6-0 6-1 Nerida Gregory H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Paula Smith 6-4 6-4 Ruta Gerulaitis H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Pam Shriver 6-1 6-0 Dana Gilbert H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Andrea Jaeger 6-1 6-0 Marie Christine Calleja H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128
Ann Kiyomura Hayashi 7-5 7-5 Marianne Van Der Torre H2H Match data Sep 3, 1981* R128

Tournament Records

The leading Open Era records for US Open.

Most Titles

Open Era singles titles. 2 players share this record.

  1. Chris Evert 6 titles

Most Appearances

Editions with a recorded main-draw match.

  1. Venus Williams 26 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
Aryna Sabalenka #1 6-3 7-6(3) Amanda Anisimova #9 H2H Match data 2025 Hard
Aryna Sabalenka #2 7-5 7-5 Jessica Pegula #6 H2H Match data 2024 Hard
Coco Gauff #6 2-6 6-3 6-2 Aryna Sabalenka #2 H2H Match data 2023 Hard
Iga Swiatek #1 6-2 7-6(5) Ons Jabeur #5 H2H Match data 2022 Hard
Emma Raducanu #150 6-4 6-3 Leylah Fernandez #73 H2H Match data 2021 Hard

View full tournament history →

Related Tournaments

View all Grand Slam champions by year →

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 Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated Amanda Anisimova 6-3 7-6(3).
Who has won the most US Open titles?
Chris Evert and Serena Williams are tied for the most US Open titles in the Open Era (since 1968), with 6 each.
When was the first US Open played?
The first edition of US Open was held in 1881. The first women's singles edition was held in 1887.
What surface is US Open played on?
US Open is played on hard courts.