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

John McEnroe defeated the five-time defending champion Björn 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 the 1981 Wimbledon Championships. It was his first Wimbledon singles title and third major singles title overall. Borg was attempting to equal William Renshaw's record of six consecutive Wimbledon titles and Roy Emerson's all-time record of 12 major titles.^[1]

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 June 22 during his first round match against Tom Gullikson.^[2]

Seeds

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 loser Mike Estep.

Qualifying

Draw

Finals

	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

Top half

Section 1

	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

Section 2

	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

Section 3

	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

Section 4

	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

Bottom half

Section 5

	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

Section 6

	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

Section 7

	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

Section 8

	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

References

External links

• Source for the draw at Wimbledon.com
• "Wimbledon 1981 – Singles Draw". atpworldtour.com. ATP World Tour. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
• 1981 Wimbledon Championships – Men's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation