1981 French Open – Men's singles

1981 French Open SWE Björn Borg TCH Ivan Lendl 6–1, 4–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1 128 16 1981 French Open 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 thereafter. Borg played in 8 Roland Garros tournaments and finished with a 49–2 record (both losses to Adriano Panatta), a 96.08% win rate. Seeds The seeded players are listed below. Björn Borg is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated. SWE Björn Borg (champion) USA Jimmy Connors (quarterfinals) USA John McEnroe (quarterfinals) USA Gene Mayer (third round) TCH Ivan Lendl (final) ARG Guillermo Vilas (fourth round) ARG José Luis Clerc (semifinals) USA Harold Solomon (first round) USA Vitas Gerulaitis (first round) USA Eliot Teltscher (first round) FRA Yannick Noah (quarterfinals) USA Brian Gottfried (third round) AUS Peter McNamara (fourth round) POL Wojtek Fibak (fourth round) HUN Balázs Taróczy (quarterfinals) USA Eddie Dibbs (third round) Draw Draws, ATP Tour, Tennis ATP https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/archive/roland-garros/520/1981/draws 12 October 2024 Finals 175 SWE Björn Borg 1 TCH Ivan Lendl 5 6 1 4 6 6 2 3 6 6 1 SWE Björn Borg 1 PRY Víctor Pecci 6 4 6 4 7 5 TCH Ivan Lendl 5 ARG José Luis Clerc 7 3 6 6 4 4 6 7 6 6 2 SWE Björn Borg 1 HUN Balázs Taróczy 15 6 3 6 3 6 2 PRY Víctor Pecci FRA Yannick Noah 11 3 6 6 4 6 4 6 4 TCH Ivan Lendl 5 USA John McEnroe 3 6 4 6 4 7 5 ARG José Luis Clerc 7 USA Jimmy Connors 2 4 6 6 2 4 6 7 5 6 0 Top half Section 1 SWE B Borg 1 USA T Moor 6 0 6 0 6 1 SWE B Borg 1 FRA P Torre Q 6 2 6 1 6 2 USA T Moor ROU 1965 I Năstase 6 3 6 2 6 1 SWE B Borg 1 BRA C Motta Q 6 1 7 5 6 0 ESP 1977 A Giménez FRA P Torre Q 3 6 4 6 3 6 USA T Moor URY J L Damiani 6 3 7 6 6 1 FRA P Proisy ROU 1965 I Năstase 1 6 2 6 0 6 SWE B Borg 1 ESP 1977 J López-Maeso 6 2 6 2 6 2 FRG W Popp BRA C Motta Q 3 6 6 3 3 6 6 7 BOL M Martinez ESP 1977 A Giménez 4 6 5 7 2 6 AUS P McNamee FRA P Torre Q 1 6 7 6 6 3 0 6 5 7 USA T Moor SWE A Järryd 6 2 6 4 6 2 URY J L Damiani FRG R Gehring 6 2 r AUS P Kronk FRA P Proisy 1 6 3 6 1 6 ROU 1965 I Năstase USA E Teltscher 10 6 2 6 4 7 5 Section 2 HUN B Taróczy 15 FRA T Tulasne 7 5 6 3 5 7 6 3 HUN B Taróczy 15 USA B Testerman Q 6 1 5 2 r USA T Giammalva FRA T Tulasne 4 6 0 6 3 6 HUN B Taróczy 15 TCH T Šmid 7 6 7 5 7 6 BRA M Hocevar USA B Testerman Q 4 6 3 6 6 3 6 0 2 6 USA T Giammalva ESP 1977 R Vizcaíno 6 4 7 5 6 4 FRA T Tulasne ITA A Panatta 6 4 4 6 6 3 6 0 HUN B Taróczy 15 USA H Pfister 6 3 6 0 6 1 TCH T Šmid YUG Z Franulović 6 1 7 6 6 2 BRA M Hocevar COL J Restrepo 2 6 6 4 6 2 6 3 TCH P Hutka USA B Testerman Q 4 6 1 6 6 4 4 6 USA F Taygan USA T Giammalva 1 6 6 3 4 6 1 6 ITA T Zugarelli ESP 1977 R Vizcaíno 3 6 1 6 0 6 ESP 1977 J Higueras FRA T Tulasne 3 6 0 6 3 6 ITA A Panatta USA H Solomon 8 6 3 7 5 6 2 Section 3 PRY V Pecci POL W Fibak 14 6 2 6 3 6 3 USA G Mayer 4 PRY V Pecci 4 6 1 2 r ZWE H Ismail POL W Fibak 14 6 4 2 6 3 6 2 6 USA G Mayer 4 RSA 1928 R Moore 6 4 6 2 6 1 ISR S Glickstein PRY V Pecci 6 4 3 6 5 7 5 7 ZWE H Ismail FRA E Deblicker 2 6 6 3 5 7 6 2 6 4 ESP 1977 F Luna POL W Fibak 14 6 7 0 6 6 7 USA G Mayer 4 FRA D Bedel 6 1 6 4 6 3 RSA 1928 R Moore FRA P Dominguez 7 5 3 6 4 6 6 3 9 7 ISR S Glickstein USA R Meyer 7 5 6 3 6 0 PRY V Pecci ITA V Magnelli 6 2 7 5 6 1 ZWE H Ismail PRY F González 4 6 6 3 6 2 6 2 PER F Maynetto Q FRA E Deblicker 2 6 6 7 4 6 NLD L Sanders ESP 1977 F Luna 2 6 6 4 2 6 4 6 USA B Nichols Q POL W Fibak 14 2 6 2 6 4 6 Section 4 FRA Y Noah 11 ARG G Vilas 6 6 2 6 3 5 7 6 4 FRA Y Noah 11 SWE J Norbäck 6 0 3 6 6 1 6 4 ARG R Cano ARG G Vilas 6 1 6 1 6 0 6 FRA Y Noah 11 CHL H Gildemeister 7 6 1 6 6 4 6 3 SWE J Norbäck AUS R Frawley 7 6 2 6 6 4 6 3 USA T Waltke ARG R Cano 4 6 4 6 7 6 2 6 FRA P Portes ARG G Vilas 6 2 6 3 6 0 6 FRA Y Noah 11 IND R Krishnan 6 1 6 1 6 4 CHL H Gildemeister FRA C Freyss 6 7 2 6 6 3 6 0 12 10 FRG K Eberhard SWE J Norbäck 1 6 4 6 7 5 3 6 ARG G Guerrero AUS R Frawley 6 4 2 6 3 6 4 6 USA R Fagel USA T Waltke 3 6 0 6 0 6 AUS D Carter ARG R Cano 6 3 3 6 4 6 2 6 AUS R Case FRA P Portes 3 6 1 6 2 6 ITA P Bertolucci ARG G Vilas 6 2 6 5 7 2 6 Bottom half Section 5 TCH I Lendl 5 AUS P McNamara 13 6 2 4 6 7 6 7 6 TCH I Lendl 5 ARG E Bengoechea 6 2 6 1 4 6 6 3 USA B Martin AUS P McNamara 13 0 6 2 6 1 6 TCH I Lendl 5 ECU A Gómez 6 2 3 6 2 6 7 6 6 4 ARG E Bengoechea USA C Mayotte 6 4 6 0 6 4 USA E Fromm USA B Martin 6 3 2 6 0 6 5 7 FRA G Moretton AUS P McNamara 13 3 6 3 6 3 6 TCH I Lendl 5 AUS J Fitzgerald 7 5 7 6 6 4 RSA 1928 E Edwards ECU A Gómez 6 4 2 6 3 6 6 1 3 6 ARG E Bengoechea FRA H Leconte 6 4 6 1 3 6 6 4 USA C Wittus USA C Mayotte 7 6 3 6 5 7 3 6 AUT P Feigl USA E Fromm 7 6 5 7 2 6 3 6 USA B Martin ESP 1977 M Mir 4 6 7 6 7 6 6 3 FRA D Naegelen FRA G Moretton 3 6 6 7 0 6 FRA G Goven AUS P McNamara 13 3 6 1 6 7 5 1 6 Section 6 ECU R Ycaza USA J McEnroe 3 3 6 4 6 4 6 ECU R Ycaza SWE P Hjertquist 6 4 0 6 7 6 6 2 URY D Pérez PR USA J McEnroe 3 1 6 6 2 0 6 4 6 ECU R Ycaza USA J Arias 5 7 6 3 1 6 6 1 6 4 AUS C Johnstone SWE P Hjertquist 4 6 5 7 6 7 URY D Pérez PR TCH J Hřebec 7 6 6 4 2 6 6 2 CHL J Fillol Sr. USA J McEnroe 3 3 6 0 6 2 6 USA V Gerulaitis 9 ECU R Ycaza 6 4 2 6 5 7 5 7 ARG C Gattiker PR USA J Arias 4 6 6 7 6 7 AUS C Johnstone USA L Stefanki 6 1 7 5 6 0 NZL O Parun SWE P Hjertquist 4 6 4 6 4 6 URY D Pérez PR TCH J Kodeš 6 2 6 1 6 4 USA R Van't Hof TCH J Hřebec 4 6 6 3 0 6 1 6 CHL J Fillol Sr. ITA C Barazzutti 3 6 6 3 5 7 7 5 6 4 USA V Van Patten USA J McEnroe 3 2 6 0 6 4 6 Section 7 ARG J L Clerc 7 BRA C Kirmayr 6 4 3 6 7 5 7 5 ARG J L Clerc 7 ARG A Ganzábal Q 6 4 6 2 6 1 BRA C Kirmayr USA B Gottfried 12 6 2 6 4 6 2 ARG J L Clerc 7 CHL A Fillol 6 4 6 1 6 0 USA S Krulevitz ARG A Ganzábal Q 3 6 7 6 1 6 3 6 BRA C Kirmayr TCH P Složil 6 4 6 4 6 4 SWE H Simonsson USA B Gottfried 12 2 6 3 6 6 7 ARG J L Clerc 7 CHE H Günthardt 7 5 7 5 6 1 CHL A Fillol ARG F Dalla Fontana 6 1 6 3 3 6 6 4 SWE J Nyström USA S Krulevitz 6 2 6 7 3 6 6 7 ESP 1977 M Orantes ARG A Ganzábal Q 6 7 4 6 2 6 MEX R Ramírez BRA C Kirmayr 3 6 6 7 2 6 TCH P Složil ITA G Rinaldini 6 2 3 6 6 2 6 3 FRA J Potier SWE H Simonsson 1 6 7 5 4 6 2 6 ARG G Aubone USA B Gottfried 12 7 6 3 6 0 6 4 6 Section 8 USA M Purcell USA J Connors 2 2 6 4 6 6 7 USA E Dibbs 16 USA M Purcell 6 3 6 2 4 6 2 6 3 6 FRA J-F Caujolle USA J Connors 2 0 6 2 6 0 6 USA E Dibbs 16 NZL C Lewis 6 3 6 2 4 6 6 4 IRN M Bahrami PR USA M Purcell 1 6 1 6 6 3 3 6 FRA J-F Caujolle FRA P Kuchna 3 6 3 6 7 6 7 5 6 3 ESP 1977 G Urpí USA J Connors 2 3 6 6 7 4 6 USA E Dibbs 16 USA B Manson 6 0 6 1 6 1 NZL C Lewis AUS M Edmondson 6 4 6 2 4 6 2 6 6 4 FRA J-L Haillet IRN M Bahrami PR 6 4 5 7 4 6 6 7 USA M Purcell FRG A Maurer 3 6 4 6 6 1 6 3 6 1 USA B McKown FRA J-F Caujolle 3 6 3 6 3 6 RSA 1928 D Schneider FRA P Kuchna 4 6 6 3 4 6 2 6 ESP 1977 G Urpí FRA C Casa 7 5 4 6 6 4 6 0 FRA C Roger-Vasselin USA J Connors 2 1 6 5 7 6 3 3 6 References External links ATP – 1981 French Open men's singles draw 1981 French Open – Men's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation 1980 Australian Open Grand Slam men's singles 1981 Wimbledon Championships Men's Singles Category:French Open by year – Men's singles Category:1981 Grand Prix (tennis)