1981 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles

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]

Men's singles
1981 Wimbledon Championships
Final
ChampionUnited States John McEnroe
Runner-upSweden Björn Borg
Score4–6, 7–6(7–1), 7–6(7–4), 6–4
Details
Draw128 (16 Q / 8 WC )
Seeds16
Events
Singles men women boys girls
Doubles men women mixed boys girls
← 1980 · Wimbledon Championships · 1982 →

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

Seeds edit

01.     Björn Borg (final)
02.     John McEnroe (champion)
03.     Jimmy Connors (semifinals)
04.     Ivan Lendl (first round)
05.     Gene Mayer (withdrew before the tournament began)
06.     Brian Teacher (second round)
07.     Brian Gottfried (second round)
08.     Roscoe Tanner (second round)
09.     José Luis Clerc (third round)
10.     Guillermo Vilas (first round)
11.     Víctor Pecci (first round)
12.     Peter McNamara (quarterfinals)
13.     Yannick Noah (first round)
14.     Wojciech Fibak (fourth round)
15.     Balázs Taróczy (third round)
16.     Vitas Gerulaitis (fourth round)

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 edit

Draw edit

Key edit

Finals edit

Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
                     
1   Björn Borg 77 6 6
12   Peter McNamara 622 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 61644
2   John McEnroe 4 77 77 6
  Rod Frawley 4 77 77 6
  Tim Mayotte 6 65643
  Rod Frawley 624 5
2   John McEnroe 77 6 7
  Johan Kriek 1 5 1
2   John McEnroe 6 7 6

Top half edit

Section 1 edit

First round Second round Third round Fourth round
1   B Borg 77 6 6
  P Rennert 623 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 645 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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

Section 5 edit

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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

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 655 3 2   J McEnroe 6 666 78
2   J McEnroe 77 7 6

References edit

  1. ^ Barrett, John (2014). Wimbledon: The Official History (4th ed.). Vision Sports Publishing. ISBN 9-781909-534230.
  2. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "John McEnroe's epic Wimbledon meltdown: 'You cannot be serious!' | ESPN Archives". YouTube.

External links edit

Preceded by Grand Slams
Men's Singles
Succeeded by