1981 Wimbledon Championships – Men's Singles

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.

Men's singles
1981 Wimbledon Championships
Final
Champion	John McEnroe
Runner-up	Björn Borg
Score	4–6, 7–6(7–1), 7–6(7–4), 6–4
Details
Draw	128 (16 Q / 8 WC )
Seeds	16
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.

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.

Key

Finals

	Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Final
	1	Björn Borg	77	6	6
	12	Peter McNamara	62	2	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	61	64	4
																			2	John McEnroe	4	77	77	6
		Rod Frawley	4	77	77	6
		Tim Mayotte	6	65	64	3
											Rod Frawley	62	4	5
										2	John McEnroe	77	6	7
		Johan Kriek	1	5	1
	2	John McEnroe	6	7	6

Top half

Section 1

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	1	B Borg	77	6	6
		P Rennert	62	3	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	64	5	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

	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

	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

	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

Section 5

	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

	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

	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

	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	65	5	3					2	J McEnroe	6	66	6	78
	2	J McEnroe	77	7	6