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Men's singles
1981 Wimbledon Championships
Final
Champion	John McEnroe
Runner-up	Björn Borg
Score	4–6, 7–6, 7–6, 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 →

John McEnroe defeated five-time defending champion Björn Borg in a rematch of the previous year's final, 4–6, 7–6, 7–6, 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.

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.

Seeds

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

Draw

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild card
• LL = Lucky loser
• Alt = Alternate
• SE = Special exempt
• PR = Protected ranking
• ITF = ITF entry
• JE = Junior exempt
• w/o = Walkover
• r = Retired
• d = Defaulted
• SR = Special ranking

Finals

	Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Final
	1	Björn Borg	7	6	6
	12	Peter McNamara	6	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	6	6	4
																			2	John McEnroe	4	7	7	6
		Rod Frawley	4	7	7	6
		Tim Mayotte	6	6	6	3
											Rod Frawley	6	4	5
										2	John McEnroe	7	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	7	6	6
		P Rennert	6	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	7	7	7
		V Amaya	6	7	6	7																						16	V Gerulaitis	6	5	6
		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	7	3	6
		To Gullikson	6	5	3					2	J McEnroe	6	6	6	7
	2	J McEnroe	7	7	6

References

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

• Source for the draw at Wimbledon.com
• "Wimbledon 1981 – Singles Draw". atpworldtour.com. ATP World Tour. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
• 1981 Wimbledon Championships – Men's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation

• 1981 Wimbledon Championships
• Wimbledon Championship by year – Men's singles