1981 French Open – Men's singles

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.

Men's singles
1981 French Open
Final
ChampionSweden Björn Borg
Runner-upCzechoslovakia Ivan Lendl
Score6–1, 4–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1
Details
Draw128
Seeds16
Events
Singles men women boys girls
Doubles men women mixed boys girls
WC Singles men women quad
WC Doubles men women quad
Legends −45 45+ women
← 1980 · French Open · 1982 →

Seeds

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

  1.   Björn Borg (champion)
  2.   Jimmy Connors (quarterfinals)
  3.   John McEnroe (quarterfinals)
  4.   Gene Mayer (third round)
  5.   Ivan Lendl (final)
  6.   Guillermo Vilas (fourth round)
  7.   José Luis Clerc (semifinals)
  8.   Harold Solomon (first round)
  9.   Vitas Gerulaitis (first round)
  10.   Eliot Teltscher (first round)
  11.   Yannick Noah (quarterfinals)
  12.   Brian Gottfried (third round)
  13.   Peter McNamara (fourth round)
  14.   Wojtek Fibak (fourth round)
  15.   Balázs Taróczy (quarterfinals)
  16.   Eddie Dibbs (third round)

Draw

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Finals

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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

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First round Second round Third round Fourth round
1   Borg 6 6 6
  López-Maeso 2 2 2 1   Borg 6 7 6
  Popp 3 6 3 6 Q   Motta 1 5 0
Q   Motta 6 3 6 7 1   Borg 6 6 6
  Martinez 4 5 2 Q   Torre 2 1 2
  Giménez 6 7 6   Giménez 3 4 3
  McNamee 1 7 6 0 5 Q   Torre 6 6 6
Q   Torre 6 6 3 6 7 1   Borg 6 6 6
  Moor 6 6 6   Moor 0 0 1
  Järryd 2 4 2   Moor 6 7 6
  Damiani 6   Damiani 3 6 1
  Gehring 2 r   Moor 6 6 6
  Kronk 1 3 1   Năstase 3 2 1
  Proisy 6 6 6   Proisy 1 2 0
  Năstase 6 6 7   Năstase 6 6 6
10   Teltscher 2 4 5

Section 2

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First round Second round Third round Fourth round
15   Taróczy 6 6 6
  Pfister 3 0 1 15   Taróczy 7 7 7
  Šmid 6 7 6   Šmid 6 5 6
  Franulović 1 6 2 15   Taróczy 6 5
  Hocevar 2 6 6 6 Q   Testerman 1 2 r
  Restrepo 6 4 2 3   Hocevar 4 3 6 6 2
  Hutka 4 1 6 4 Q   Testerman 6 6 3 0 6
Q   Testerman 6 6 4 6 15   Taróczy 7 6 5 6
  Taygan 1 6 4 1   Tulasne 5 3 7 3
  Giammalva 6 3 6 6   Giammalva 6 7 6
  Zugarelli 3 1 0   Vizcaíno 4 5 4
  Vizcaíno 6 6 6   Giammalva 4 0 3
  Higueras 3 0 3   Tulasne 6 6 6
  Tulasne 6 6 6   Tulasne 6 4 6 6
  Panatta 6 7 6   Panatta 4 6 3 0
8   Solomon 3 5 2

Section 3

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First round Second round Third round Fourth round
4   Mayer 6 6 6
  Bedel 1 4 3 4   Mayer 6 6 6
  Moore 7 3 4 6 9   Moore 4 2 1
  Dominguez 5 6 6 3 7 4   Mayer 4 1 r
  Glickstein 7 6 6   Pecci 6 2
  Meyer 5 3 0   Glickstein 6 3 5 5
  Pecci 6 7 6   Pecci 4 6 7 7
  Magnelli 2 5 1   Pecci 6 6 6
  Ismail 4 6 6 6 14   Fibak 2 3 3
  González 6 3 2 2   Ismail 2 6 5 6 6
Q   Maynetto 2 6 4   Deblicker 6 3 7 2 4
  Deblicker 6 7 6   Ismail 6 2 3 2
  Sanders 2 6 2 4 14   Fibak 4 6 6 6
  Luna 6 4 6 6   Luna 6 0 6
Q   Nichols 2 2 4 14   Fibak 7 6 7
14   Fibak 6 6 6

Section 4

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First round Second round Third round Fourth round
11   Noah 6 6 6
  Krishnan 1 1 4 11   Noah 7 1 6 6
  Gildemeister 6 2 6 6 12   Gildemeister 6 6 4 3
  Freyss 7 6 3 0 10 11   Noah 6 3 6 6
  Eberhard 1 4 7 3   Norbäck 0 6 1 4
  Norbäck 6 6 5 6   Norbäck 7 2 6 6
  Guerrero 6 2 3 4   Frawley 6 6 4 3
  Frawley 4 6 6 6 11   Noah 6 6 5 6
  Fagel 3 0 0 6   Vilas 2 3 7 4
  Waltke 6 6 6   Waltke 4 4 7 2
  Carter 6 3 4 2   Cano 6 6 6 6
  Cano 3 6 6 6   Cano 1 1 0
  Case 3 1 2 6   Vilas 6 6 6
  Portes 6 6 6   Portes 2 3 0
  Bertolucci 2 5 2 6   Vilas 6 6 6
6   Vilas 6 7 6

Section 5

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First round Second round Third round Fourth round
5   Lendl 7 7 6
  Fitzgerald 5 6 4 5   Lendl 6 3 2 7 6
  Edwards 6 2 3 6 3   Gómez 2 6 6 6 4
  Gómez 4 6 6 1 6 5   Lendl 6 6 4 6
  Bengoechea 6 6 3 6   Bengoechea 2 1 6 3
  Leconte 4 1 6 4   Bengoechea 6 6 6
  Wittus 7 3 5 3   Mayotte 4 0 4
  Mayotte 6 6 7 6 5   Lendl 6 4 7 7
  Feigl 7 5 2 3 13   McNamara 2 6 6 6
  Fromm 6 7 6 6   Fromm 6 2 0 5
  Martin 4 7 7 6   Martin 3 6 6 7
  Mir 6 6 6 3   Martin 0 2 1
  Naegelen 3 6 0 13   McNamara 6 6 6
  Moretton 6 7 6   Moretton 3 3 3
  Goven 3 1 7 1 13   McNamara 6 6 6
13   McNamara 6 6 5 6

Section 6

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First round Second round Third round Fourth round
9   Gerulaitis 6 2 5 5
  Ycaza 4 6 7 7   Ycaza 5 6 1 6 6
PR   Gattiker 4 6 6   Arias 7 3 6 1 4
  Arias 6 7 7   Ycaza 6 0 7 6
  Johnstone 6 7 6   Hjertquist 4 6 6 2
  Stefanki 1 5 0   Johnstone 4 5 6
  Parun 4 4 4   Hjertquist 6 7 7
  Hjertquist 6 6 6   Ycaza 3 4 4
PR   Pérez 6 6 6 3   McEnroe 6 6 6
  Kodeš 2 1 4 PR   Pérez 7 6 2 6
  Van't Hof 4 6 0 1   Hřebec 6 4 6 2
  Hřebec 6 3 6 6 PR   Pérez 1 6 0 4
  Fillol Sr. 3 6 5 7 6 3   McEnroe 6 2 6 6
  Barazzutti 6 3 7 5 4   Fillol Sr. 3 0 2
  Van Patten 2 0 4 3   McEnroe 6 6 6
3   McEnroe 6 6 6

Section 7

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First round Second round Third round Fourth round
7   Clerc 7 7 6
  Günthardt 5 5 1 7   Clerc 6 6 6
  Fillol 6 6 3 6   Fillol 4 1 0
  Dalla Fontana 1 3 6 4 7   Clerc 6 6 6
  Nyström 6 6 3 6 Q   Ganzábal 4 2 1
  Krulevitz 2 7 6 7   Krulevitz 3 7 1 3
  Orantes 6 4 2 Q   Ganzábal 6 6 6 6
Q   Ganzábal 7 6 6 7   Clerc 6 3 7 7
  Ramírez 3 6 2   Kirmayr 4 6 5 5
  Kirmayr 6 7 6   Kirmayr 6 6 6
  Složil 6 3 6 6   Složil 4 4 4
  Rinaldini 2 6 2 3   Kirmayr 6 6 6
  Potier 1 7 4 2 12   Gottfried 2 4 2
  Simonsson 6 5 6 6   Simonsson 2 3 6
  Aubone 7 3 0 4 12   Gottfried 6 6 7
12   Gottfried 6 6 6 6

Section 8

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First round Second round Third round Fourth round
16   Dibbs 6 6 6
  Manson 0 1 1 16   Dibbs 6 6 4 6
  Lewis 6 6 4 2 6   Lewis 3 2 6 4
  Edmondson 4 2 6 6 4 16   Dibbs 6 6 4 2 3
  Haillet 6 5 4 6   Purcell 3 2 6 6 6
PR   Bahrami 4 7 6 7 PR   Bahrami 1 1 6 3
  Purcell 3 4 6 6 6   Purcell 6 6 3 6
  Maurer 6 6 1 3 1   Purcell 2 4 6
  McKown 3 3 3 2   Connors 6 6 7
  Caujolle 6 6 6   Caujolle 3 3 7 7 6
  Schneider 4 6 4 2   Kuchna 6 6 6 5 3
  Kuchna 6 3 6 6   Caujolle 0 2 0
  Urpí 7 4 6 6 2   Connors 6 6 6
  Casa 5 6 4 0   Urpí 3 6 4
  Roger-Vasselin 1 5 6 3 2   Connors 6 7 6
2   Connors 6 7 3 6
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Preceded by Grand Slam men's singles Succeeded by