1981 US Open – Women's singles

August 2023 1981 US Open USA Tracy Austin USA Martina Navratilova 1–6, 7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–1) 128 16 1981 US Open (tennis) Tracy Austin defeated Martina Navratilova in the final, 1–6, 7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–1) to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1981 US Open. It was her second US Open title and second and last major singles title. Chris Evert was the defending champion, but lost in the semifinals to Navratilova. The loss ended Evert's streak of six consecutive US Open finals. Seeds The seeded players are listed below. Tracy Austin is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated. USA Chris Evert (semifinalist) USA Andrea Jaeger (second round) USA Tracy Austin (champion) USA Martina Navratilova (finalist) TCH Hana Mandlíková (quarterfinalist) FRG Sylvia Hanika (quarterfinalist) AUS Wendy Turnbull (third round) USA Pam Shriver (fourth round) ROU 1965 Virginia Ruzici (third round) YUG Mima Jaušovec (second round) USA Barbara Potter (semifinalist) FRG Bettina Bunge (fourth round) TCH Regina Maršíková (first round) USA Kathy Jordan (fourth round) GBR Sue Barker (second round) AUS Dianne Fromholtz (first round) Qualifying 1981 US Open – Women's singles qualifying Draw This edition of the US Open was the first time that the women's singles tournament featured a 128-player draw. Key Q = Qualifier WC = Wild card LL = Lucky loser r = Retired Final eight 150 USA Martina Navratilova 4 USA Tracy Austin 3 6 1 64 77 61 77 USA Chris Evert 1 USA Martina Navratilova 4 5 7 6 4 4 6 USA Tracy Austin 3 USA Barbara Potter 11 6 1 6 3 USA Chris Evert 1 TCH Hana Mandlíková 5 6 1 6 3 USA Martina Navratilova 4 USA Anne Smith 7 5 6 4 FRG Sylvia Hanika 6 USA Tracy Austin 3 4 6 3 6 USA Barbara Gerken Q USA Barbara Potter 11 5 7 5 7 Earlier rounds Section 1 First round Second round Third round Fourth round USA Evert 1 FRG Bunge 12 6 2 6 0 USA Evert 1 USA Moulton 6 3 6 0 USA Thompson Q FRG Bunge 12 6 2 6 7 3 6 USA Evert 1 USA Latham 6 0 6 1 USA Louie USA Moulton 3 6 5 7 USA Jones USA Thompson Q 1 6 1 6 USA Kiyomura FRG Bunge 12 3 6 6 3 3 6 USA Evert 1 USA Keil 6 1 6 1 USA Latham AUS Saliba 6 1 6 2 USA Louie GBR Jevans 6 3 6 0 USA Moulton NED Stöve 6 2 6 0 USA Jones HUN Pinterová 6 3 6 4 USA Thompson Q USA Collins 6 4 6 3 USA Kiyomura NED Van der Torre 7 5 7 5 FRG Bunge 12 USA Louie 6 2 6 1 Section 2 First round Second round Third round Fourth round KOR Lee TCH Mandlíková 5 1 6 0 6 ROU 1965 Ruzici 9 KOR Lee 1 6 6 4 5 7 GBR Coles TCH Mandlíková 5 2 6 1 6 ROU 1965 Ruzici 9 USA Burgin 5 7 7 5 6 2 USA Mascarin KOR Lee 7 6 4 6 6 7 USA Jordan GBR Coles 3 6 6 7 USA Reynolds TCH Mandlíková 5 4 6 4 6 ROU 1965 Ruzici 9 USA White 6 2 6 1 USA Burgin USA Antonoplis 6 3 6 3 USA Mascarin USA Yeargin 3 6 6 2 6 4 KOR Lee AUS Leo 6 3 6 4 USA Jordan USA Hutnick Q 7 5 6 1 GBR Coles USA McInerney 6 3 6 0 USA Reynolds USA Sands 6 3 6 0 TCH Mandlíková 5 USA Piatek 6 7 7 6 6 3 Section 3 First round Second round Third round Fourth round USA Navratilova 4 USA Jordan 14 6 0 6 1 USA Navratilova 4 USA Russell 6 2 6 1 FRA Vanier USA Jordan 14 2 6 1 6 USA Navratilova 4 USA White 6 2 6 3 CAN Blackwood USA Russell 2 6 4 6 RSA 1928 Harford FRA Vanier 2 6 6 2 6 7 FRA Tanvier USA Jordan 14 1 6 1 6 USA Navratilova 4 AUS Gregory 6 0 6 1 USA White SUI Pasquale 4 6 6 1 6 2 CAN Blackwood USA Steinmetz 6 4 6 4 USA Russell USA Bonder 1 6 6 3 6 3 RSA 1928 Harford TCH Brzáková 6 4 6 2 FRA Vanier USA Allen 1 6 6 2 6 3 FRA Tanvier PER Vásquez 6 2 5 7 6 1 USA Jordan 14 AUS Little 6 0 6 1 Section 4 First round Second round Third round Fourth round USA Smith USA Shriver 8 6 4 1 6 7 5 USA Smith USA Portman 6 1 6 0 TCH Tomanová USA Shriver 8 3 6 2 6 USA Smith USA McCallum 6 0 6 0 USA Doherty USA Portman 5 7 6 6 TCH Tomanová USA Nelson 6 4 6 2 USA DuVall USA Shriver 8 0 6 3 6 USA Smith AUS Fromholtz 16 6 3 6 3 USA McCallum USA Preyer 6 2 6 3 USA Doherty JPN Sato 7 5 6 1 USA Portman USA Davis LL 6 2 7 5 TCH Tomanová USA Forood 6 3 6 3 USA Nelson USA Herr 6 2 1 6 7 6 USA DuVall USA Margolin 3 6 6 4 6 0 USA Shriver 8 USA Gilbert 6 1 6 0 Section 5 First round Second round Third round Fourth round FRG Hanika 6 USA Walsh 6 2 7 5 FRG Hanika 6 NED Mesker 4 6 6 1 6 2 GBR Wade USA Walsh 5 7 6 4 3 6 FRG Hanika 6 USA Blount 7 5 6 2 NED Mesker NED Vessies 6 2 6 2 USA Mundel GBR Wade 1 6 3 6 USA Walsh GBR Barker 15 5 7 6 3r FRG Hanika 6 AUS Remilton 6 2 6 2 USA Blount USA Gordon LL 6 2 6 0 NED Mesker TCH Skronská 6 3 6 2 NED Vessies USA Fernandez 6 4 6 4 USA Mundel USA Hepner Q 7 5 6 1 GBR Wade USA Teeguarden 6 3 6 7 6 2 USA Walsh USA Cummings 6 1 6 3 GBR Barker 15 USA duPont 6 4 4 6 6 3 Section 6 First round Second round Third round Fourth round USA Casals USA Austin 3 1 6 3 6 USA Casals USA Acker 3 6 6 1 6 4 USA Casale USA Austin 3 3 6 0 6 USA Casals USA Appelbaum LL 6 0 6 2 USA Morrison USA Acker 4 6 6 6 USA Casale USA Gompert Q 6 4 6 0 USA Nagelsen USA Austin 3 3 6 0 6 USA Casals TCH Maršíková 13 6 2 6 2 USA Appelbaum LL AUS Sayers 4 6 6 3 6 2 USA Morrison AUS Minter 0 6 6 3 6 3 USA Acker USA Dent 7 6 6 4 USA Casale TCH Budařová 6 2 6 1 USA Gompert Q BRA Medrado 7 5 6 3 USA Nagelsen USA Baily 7 5 6 3 USA Austin 3 GBR Hobbs 6 1 6 2 Section 7 First round Second round Third round Fourth round USA Gerken Q GBR Durie 7 6 6 1 AUS Turnbull 7 USA Gerken Q 5 7 3 6 GBR Durie USA Horvath 6 4 3 6 6 4 AUS Turnbull 7 ROU 1965 Romanov 6 1 6 3 USA Gerken Q USA Buchanan 6 4 7 5 USA Hallquist GBR Durie 3 6 3 6 USA Horvath YUG Jaušovec 10 6 3 6 7 6 3 AUS Turnbull 7 USA Garrison 3 6 6 3 6 2 ROU 1965 Romanov USA Mochizuki Q 2 6 6 1 6 0 USA Gerken Q RSA 1928 Fairbank 6 3 6 4 USA Buchanan FRG Pfaff 6 3 6 2 USA Hallquist USA Lewis 6 4 3 6 6 2 GBR Durie USA Desfor 6 3 6 3 USA Horvath USA Rinaldi 7 5 3 6 7 5 YUG Jaušovec 10 PER Arraya 6 2 6 2 Section 8 First round Second round Third round Fourth round USA Potter 11 USA Leand 6 7 7 6 6 3 USA Potter 11 USA Morse 4 6 6 2 7 5 USA Harrington USA Leand 4 6 3 6 USA Potter 11 RSA 1928 Rollinson 6 3 6 2 USA Morse USA Smith 6 2 6 4 RSA 1928 Vermaak USA Harrington 4 6 6 1 6 6 USA Leand USA Jaeger 2 1 6 7 5 6 3 USA Potter 11 FRG Kohde 6 7 6 1 6 2 RSA 1928 Rollinson GBR Brasher Q 6 4 6 2 USA Morse AUS Freeman 6 3 6 2 USA Smith USA Gerulaitis 6 4 6 4 RSA 1928 Vermaak USA Norton 2 6 6 1 6 2 USA Harrington HUN Klein LL 6 0 6 3 USA Leand USA Richards 6 4 2 6 7 5 USA Jaeger 2 FRA Calleja Q 6 1 6 0 See also Evert–Navratilova rivalry External links 1981 US Open – Women's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation 1981 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles Grand Slam women's singles 1981 Australian Open – Women's singles Women's Singles Category:US Open (tennis) by year – Women's singles Category:1981 in women's tennis Category:1981 in American women's sports