1981 French Open – Men's singles

Men's singles
Men's singles
1981 French Open
Final
Champion	Björn Borg
Runner-up	Ivan Lendl
Score	6–1, 4–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1
Details
Draw	128
Seeds	16
Events

Three-time defending champion Björn Borg defeated Ivan Lendl in the final, 6–1, 4–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1981 French Open. It was his sixth French Open title and his eleventh and last major title overall. The final was played on June 7, the day after Borg's 25th birthday. This marked Borg's last French Open appearance, as he was required to play qualifying the following year due to inactivity and elected not to do so; he retired from the sport shortly after.

Seeds

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

Björn Borg (champion)
Jimmy Connors (quarterfinals)
John McEnroe (quarterfinals)
Gene Mayer (third round)
Ivan Lendl (final)
Guillermo Vilas (fourth round)
José Luis Clerc (semifinals)
Harold Solomon (first round)
Vitas Gerulaitis (first round)
Eliot Teltscher (first round)
Yannick Noah (quarterfinals)
Brian Gottfried (third round)
Peter McNamara (fourth round)
Wojtek Fibak (fourth round)
Balázs Taróczy (quarterfinals)
Eddie Dibbs (third round)

Draw

^[1]

Key

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

Finals

Quarterfinals							Semifinals							Final

1	Björn Borg	6	6	6

15	Balázs Taróczy	3	3	2
							1	Björn Borg	6	6	7

								Víctor Pecci	4	4	5
	Víctor Pecci	3	6	6	6

11	Yannick Noah	6	4	4	4
														1	Björn Borg	6	4	6	3	6

														5	Ivan Lendl	1	6	2	6	1
5	Ivan Lendl	6	6	7

3	John McEnroe	4	4	5
							5	Ivan Lendl	3	6	4	7	6

							7	José Luis Clerc	6	4	6	6	2
7	José Luis Clerc	4	6	4	7	6

2	Jimmy Connors	6	2	6	5	0

Section 1

First round							Second round					Third round					Fourth round

1	B Borg	6	6	6
	J López-Maeso	2	2	2			1	B Borg	6	7	6
	W Popp	3	6	3	6		Q	C Motta	1	5	0
Q	C Motta	6	3	6	7							1	B Borg	6	6	6
	M Martinez	4	5	2								Q	P Torre	2	1	2
	A Giménez	6	7	6				A Giménez	3	4	3
	P McNamee	1	7	6	0	5	Q	P Torre	6	6	6
Q	P Torre	6	6	3	6	7											1	B Borg	6	6	6
	T Moor	6	6	6														T Moor	0	0	1
	A Järryd	2	4	2				T Moor	6	7	6
	J L Damiani	6						J L Damiani	3	6	1
	R Gehring	2	r										T Moor	6	6	6
	P Kronk	1	3	1									I Năstase	3	2	1
	P Proisy	6	6	6				P Proisy	1	2	0
	I Năstase	6	6	7				I Năstase	6	6	6
10	E Teltscher	2	4	5

Section 2

First round						Second round							Third round					Fourth round

15	B Taróczy	6	6	6
	H Pfister	3	0	1		15	B Taróczy	7	7	7
	T Šmid	6	7	6			T Šmid	6	5	6
	Z Franulović	1	6	2									15	B Taróczy	6	5
	M Hocevar	2	6	6	6								Q	B Testerman	1	2	r
	J Restrepo	6	4	2	3		M Hocevar	4	3	6	6	2
	P Hutka	4	1	6	4	Q	B Testerman	6	6	3	0	6
Q	B Testerman	6	6	4	6													15	B Taróczy	7	6	5	6
	F Taygan	1	6	4	1														T Tulasne	5	3	7	3
	T Giammalva	6	3	6	6		T Giammalva	6	7	6
	T Zugarelli	3	1	0			R Vizcaíno	4	5	4
	R Vizcaíno	6	6	6										T Giammalva	4	0	3
	J Higueras	3	0	3										T Tulasne	6	6	6
	T Tulasne	6	6	6			T Tulasne	6	4	6	6
	A Panatta	6	7	6			A Panatta	4	6	3	0
8	H Solomon	3	5	2

Section 3

First round							Second round							Third round						Fourth round

4	G Mayer	6	6	6
	D Bedel	1	4	3			4	G Mayer	6	6	6
	R Moore	7	3	4	6	9		R Moore	4	2	1
	P Dominguez	5	6	6	3	7								4	G Mayer	4	1	r
	S Glickstein	7	6	6											V Pecci	6	2
	R Meyer	5	3	0				S Glickstein	6	3	5	5
	V Pecci	6	7	6				V Pecci	4	6	7	7
	V Magnelli	2	5	1																	V Pecci	6	6	6
	H Ismail	4	6	6	6															14	W Fibak	2	3	3
	F González	6	3	2	2			H Ismail	2	6	5	6	6
Q	F Maynetto	2	6	4				E Deblicker	6	3	7	2	4
	E Deblicker	6	7	6											H Ismail	6	2	3	2
	L Sanders	2	6	2	4									14	W Fibak	4	6	6	6
	F Luna	6	4	6	6			F Luna	6	0	6
Q	B Nichols	2	2	4			14	W Fibak	7	6	7
14	W Fibak	6	6	6

Section 4

First round							Second round						Third round						Fourth round

11	Y Noah	6	6	6
	R Krishnan	1	1	4			11	Y Noah	7	1	6	6
	H Gildemeister	6	2	6	6	12		H Gildemeister	6	6	4	3
	C Freyss	7	6	3	0	10							11	Y Noah	6	3	6	6
	K Eberhard	1	4	7	3									J Norbäck	0	6	1	4
	J Norbäck	6	6	5	6			J Norbäck	7	2	6	6
	G Guerrero	6	2	3	4			R Frawley	6	6	4	3
	R Frawley	4	6	6	6														11	Y Noah	6	6	5	6
	R Fagel	3	0	0															6	G Vilas	2	3	7	4
	T Waltke	6	6	6				T Waltke	4	4	7	2
	D Carter	6	3	4	2			R Cano	6	6	6	6
	R Cano	3	6	6	6									R Cano	1	1	0
	R Case	3	1	2									6	G Vilas	6	6	6
	P Portes	6	6	6				P Portes	2	3	0
	P Bertolucci	2	5	2			6	G Vilas	6	6	6
6	G Vilas	6	7	6

Section 5

First round							Second round							Third round						Fourth round

5	I Lendl	7	7	6
	J Fitzgerald	5	6	4			5	I Lendl	6	3	2	7	6
	E Edwards	6	2	3	6	3		A Gómez	2	6	6	6	4
	A Gómez	4	6	6	1	6								5	I Lendl	6	6	4	6
	E Bengoechea	6	6	3	6										E Bengoechea	2	1	6	3
	H Leconte	4	1	6	4			E Bengoechea	6	6	6
	C Wittus	7	3	5	3			C Mayotte	4	0	4
	C Mayotte	6	6	7	6															5	I Lendl	6	4	7	7
	P Feigl	7	5	2	3															13	P McNamara	2	6	6	6
	E Fromm	6	7	6	6			E Fromm	6	2	0	5
	B Martin	4	7	7	6			B Martin	3	6	6	7
	M Mir	6	6	6	3										B Martin	0	2	1
	D Naegelen	3	6	0										13	P McNamara	6	6	6
	G Moretton	6	7	6				G Moretton	3	3	3
	G Goven	3	1	7	1		13	P McNamara	6	6	6
13	P McNamara	6	6	5	6

Section 6

First round							Second round							Third round						Fourth round

9	V Gerulaitis	6	2	5	5
	R Ycaza	4	6	7	7			R Ycaza	5	6	1	6	6
PR	C Gattiker	4	6	6				J Arias	7	3	6	1	4
	J Arias	6	7	7											R Ycaza	6	0	7	6
	C Johnstone	6	7	6											P Hjertquist	4	6	6	2
	L Stefanki	1	5	0				C Johnstone	4	5	6
	O Parun	4	4	4				P Hjertquist	6	7	7
	P Hjertquist	6	6	6																	R Ycaza	3	4	4
PR	D Pérez	6	6	6																3	J McEnroe	6	6	6
	J Kodeš	2	1	4			PR	D Pérez	7	6	2	6
	R Van't Hof	4	6	0	1			J Hřebec	6	4	6	2
	J Hřebec	6	3	6	6									PR	D Pérez	1	6	0	4
	J Fillol Sr.	3	6	5	7	6								3	J McEnroe	6	2	6	6
	C Barazzutti	6	3	7	5	4		J Fillol Sr.	3	0	2
	V Van Patten	2	0	4			3	J McEnroe	6	6	6
3	J McEnroe	6	6	6

Section 7

First round						Second round						Third round					Fourth round

7	J L Clerc	7	7	6
	H Günthardt	5	5	1		7	J L Clerc	6	6	6
	A Fillol	6	6	3	6		A Fillol	4	1	0
	F Dalla Fontana	1	3	6	4							7	J L Clerc	6	6	6
	J Nyström	6	6	3	6							Q	A Ganzábal	4	2	1
	S Krulevitz	2	7	6	7		S Krulevitz	3	7	1	3
	M Orantes	6	4	2		Q	A Ganzábal	6	6	6	6
Q	A Ganzábal	7	6	6													7	J L Clerc	6	3	7	7
	R Ramírez	3	6	2														C Kirmayr	4	6	5	5
	C Kirmayr	6	7	6			C Kirmayr	6	6	6
	P Složil	6	3	6	6		P Složil	4	4	4
	G Rinaldini	2	6	2	3								C Kirmayr	6	6	6
	J Potier	1	7	4	2							12	B Gottfried	2	4	2
	H Simonsson	6	5	6	6		H Simonsson	2	3	6
	G Aubone	7	3	0	4	12	B Gottfried	6	6	7
12	B Gottfried	6	6	6	6

Section 8

First round							Second round							Third round							Fourth round

16	E Dibbs	6	6	6
	B Manson	0	1	1			16	E Dibbs	6	6	4	6
	C Lewis	6	6	4	2	6		C Lewis	3	2	6	4
	M Edmondson	4	2	6	6	4								16	E Dibbs	6	6	4	2	3
	J-L Haillet	6	5	4	6										M Purcell	3	2	6	6	6
PR	M Bahrami	4	7	6	7		PR	M Bahrami	1	1	6	3
	M Purcell	3	4	6	6	6		M Purcell	6	6	3	6
	A Maurer	6	6	1	3	1																M Purcell	2	4	6
	B McKown	3	3	3																	2	J Connors	6	6	7
	J-F Caujolle	6	6	6				J-F Caujolle	3	3	7	7	6
	D Schneider	4	6	4	2			P Kuchna	6	6	6	5	3
	P Kuchna	6	3	6	6										J-F Caujolle	0	2	0
	G Urpí	7	4	6	6									2	J Connors	6	6	6
	C Casa	5	6	4	0			G Urpí	3	6	4
	C Roger-Vasselin	1	5	6	3		2	J Connors	6	7	6
2	J Connors	6	7	3	6