Men's singles
1981 French Open
Final
Champion	Björn Borg
Runner-up	Ivan Lendl
Score	6–1, 4–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1
Details
Draw	128
Seeds	16
Events
Singles men women boys girls Doubles men women mixed boys girls WC Singles men women quad WC Doubles men women quad Legends −45 45+ women
← 1980 · French Open · 1982 →

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.

The seeded players are listed below. Björn Borg is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.

^[1]

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild card
• LL = Lucky loser
• r = Retired

	Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Final
	1	Björn Borg	6	6	6
	15	Balázs Taróczy	3	3	2
										1	Björn Borg	6	6	7
											Víctor Pecci	4	4	5
		Víctor Pecci	3	6	6	6
	11	Yannick Noah	6	4	4	4
																			1	Björn Borg	6	4	6	3	6
																			5	Ivan Lendl	1	6	2	6	1
	5	Ivan Lendl	6	6	7
	3	John McEnroe	4	4	5
										5	Ivan Lendl	3	6	4	7	6
										7	José Luis Clerc	6	4	6	6	2
	7	José Luis Clerc	4	6	4	7	6
	2	Jimmy Connors	6	2	6	5	0

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	1	B Borg	6	6	6
		J López-Maeso	2	2	2					1	B Borg	6	7	6
		W Popp	3	6	3	6				Q	C Motta	1	5	0
	Q	C Motta	6	3	6	7													1	B Borg	6	6	6
		M Martinez	4	5	2														Q	P Torre	2	1	2
		A Giménez	6	7	6						A Giménez	3	4	3
		P McNamee	1	7	6	0	5			Q	P Torre	6	6	6
	Q	P Torre	6	6	3	6	7																					1	B Borg	6	6	6
		T Moor	6	6	6																								T Moor	0	0	1
		A Järryd	2	4	2						T Moor	6	7	6
		J L Damiani	6								J L Damiani	3	6	1
		R Gehring	2	r																T Moor	6	6	6
		P Kronk	1	3	1															I Năstase	3	2	1
		P Proisy	6	6	6						P Proisy	1	2	0
		I Năstase	6	6	7						I Năstase	6	6	6
	10	E Teltscher	2	4	5

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	15	B Taróczy	6	6	6
		H Pfister	3	0	1					15	B Taróczy	7	7	7
		T Šmid	6	7	6						T Šmid	6	5	6
		Z Franulović	1	6	2														15	B Taróczy	6	5
		M Hocevar	2	6	6	6													Q	B Testerman	1	2	r
		J Restrepo	6	4	2	3					M Hocevar	4	3	6	6	2
		P Hutka	4	1	6	4				Q	B Testerman	6	6	3	0	6
	Q	B Testerman	6	6	4	6																						15	B Taróczy	7	6	5	6
		F Taygan	1	6	4	1																							T Tulasne	5	3	7	3
		T Giammalva	6	3	6	6					T Giammalva	6	7	6
		T Zugarelli	3	1	0						R Vizcaíno	4	5	4
		R Vizcaíno	6	6	6															T Giammalva	4	0	3
		J Higueras	3	0	3															T Tulasne	6	6	6
		T Tulasne	6	6	6						T Tulasne	6	4	6	6
		A Panatta	6	7	6						A Panatta	4	6	3	0
	8	H Solomon	3	5	2

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	4	G Mayer	6	6	6
		D Bedel	1	4	3					4	G Mayer	6	6	6
		R Moore	7	3	4	6	9				R Moore	4	2	1
		P Dominguez	5	6	6	3	7												4	G Mayer	4	1	r
		S Glickstein	7	6	6															V Pecci	6	2
		R Meyer	5	3	0						S Glickstein	6	3	5	5
		V Pecci	6	7	6						V Pecci	4	6	7	7
		V Magnelli	2	5	1																								V Pecci	6	6	6
		H Ismail	4	6	6	6																						14	W Fibak	2	3	3
		F González	6	3	2	2					H Ismail	2	6	5	6	6
	Q	F Maynetto	2	6	4						E Deblicker	6	3	7	2	4
		E Deblicker	6	7	6															H Ismail	6	2	3	2
		L Sanders	2	6	2	4													14	W Fibak	4	6	6	6
		F Luna	6	4	6	6					F Luna	6	0	6
	Q	B Nichols	2	2	4					14	W Fibak	7	6	7
	14	W Fibak	6	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	11	Y Noah	6	6	6
		R Krishnan	1	1	4					11	Y Noah	7	1	6	6
		H Gildemeister	6	2	6	6	12				H Gildemeister	6	6	4	3
		C Freyss	7	6	3	0	10												11	Y Noah	6	3	6	6
		K Eberhard	1	4	7	3														J Norbäck	0	6	1	4
		J Norbäck	6	6	5	6					J Norbäck	7	2	6	6
		G Guerrero	6	2	3	4					R Frawley	6	6	4	3
		R Frawley	4	6	6	6																						11	Y Noah	6	6	5	6
		R Fagel	3	0	0																							6	G Vilas	2	3	7	4
		T Waltke	6	6	6						T Waltke	4	4	7	2
		D Carter	6	3	4	2					R Cano	6	6	6	6
		R Cano	3	6	6	6														R Cano	1	1	0
		R Case	3	1	2														6	G Vilas	6	6	6
		P Portes	6	6	6						P Portes	2	3	0
		P Bertolucci	2	5	2					6	G Vilas	6	6	6
	6	G Vilas	6	7	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	5	I Lendl	7	7	6
		J Fitzgerald	5	6	4					5	I Lendl	6	3	2	7	6
		E Edwards	6	2	3	6	3				A Gómez	2	6	6	6	4
		A Gómez	4	6	6	1	6												5	I Lendl	6	6	4	6
		E Bengoechea	6	6	3	6														E Bengoechea	2	1	6	3
		H Leconte	4	1	6	4					E Bengoechea	6	6	6
		C Wittus	7	3	5	3					C Mayotte	4	0	4
		C Mayotte	6	6	7	6																						5	I Lendl	6	4	7	7
		P Feigl	7	5	2	3																						13	P McNamara	2	6	6	6
		E Fromm	6	7	6	6					E Fromm	6	2	0	5
		B Martin	4	7	7	6					B Martin	3	6	6	7
		M Mir	6	6	6	3														B Martin	0	2	1
		D Naegelen	3	6	0														13	P McNamara	6	6	6
		G Moretton	6	7	6						G Moretton	3	3	3
		G Goven	3	1	7	1				13	P McNamara	6	6	6
	13	P McNamara	6	6	5	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	9	V Gerulaitis	6	2	5	5
		R Ycaza	4	6	7	7					R Ycaza	5	6	1	6	6
	PR	C Gattiker	4	6	6						J Arias	7	3	6	1	4
		J Arias	6	7	7															R Ycaza	6	0	7	6
		C Johnstone	6	7	6															P Hjertquist	4	6	6	2
		L Stefanki	1	5	0						C Johnstone	4	5	6
		O Parun	4	4	4						P Hjertquist	6	7	7
		P Hjertquist	6	6	6																								R Ycaza	3	4	4
	PR	D Pérez	6	6	6																							3	J McEnroe	6	6	6
		J Kodeš	2	1	4					PR	D Pérez	7	6	2	6
		R Van't Hof	4	6	0	1					J Hřebec	6	4	6	2
		J Hřebec	6	3	6	6													PR	D Pérez	1	6	0	4
		J Fillol Sr.	3	6	5	7	6												3	J McEnroe	6	2	6	6
		C Barazzutti	6	3	7	5	4				J Fillol Sr.	3	0	2
		V Van Patten	2	0	4					3	J McEnroe	6	6	6
	3	J McEnroe	6	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	7	J L Clerc	7	7	6
		H Günthardt	5	5	1					7	J L Clerc	6	6	6
		A Fillol	6	6	3	6					A Fillol	4	1	0
		F Dalla Fontana	1	3	6	4													7	J L Clerc	6	6	6
		J Nyström	6	6	3	6													Q	A Ganzábal	4	2	1
		S Krulevitz	2	7	6	7					S Krulevitz	3	7	1	3
		M Orantes	6	4	2					Q	A Ganzábal	6	6	6	6
	Q	A Ganzábal	7	6	6																							7	J L Clerc	6	3	7	7
		R Ramírez	3	6	2																								C Kirmayr	4	6	5	5
		C Kirmayr	6	7	6						C Kirmayr	6	6	6
		P Složil	6	3	6	6					P Složil	4	4	4
		G Rinaldini	2	6	2	3														C Kirmayr	6	6	6
		J Potier	1	7	4	2													12	B Gottfried	2	4	2
		H Simonsson	6	5	6	6					H Simonsson	2	3	6
		G Aubone	7	3	0	4				12	B Gottfried	6	6	7
	12	B Gottfried	6	6	6	6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	16	E Dibbs	6	6	6
		B Manson	0	1	1					16	E Dibbs	6	6	4	6
		C Lewis	6	6	4	2	6				C Lewis	3	2	6	4
		M Edmondson	4	2	6	6	4												16	E Dibbs	6	6	4	2	3
		J-L Haillet	6	5	4	6														M Purcell	3	2	6	6	6
	PR	M Bahrami	4	7	6	7				PR	M Bahrami	1	1	6	3
		M Purcell	3	4	6	6	6				M Purcell	6	6	3	6
		A Maurer	6	6	1	3	1																						M Purcell	2	4	6
		B McKown	3	3	3																							2	J Connors	6	6	7
		J-F Caujolle	6	6	6						J-F Caujolle	3	3	7	7	6
		D Schneider	4	6	4	2					P Kuchna	6	6	6	5	3
		P Kuchna	6	3	6	6														J-F Caujolle	0	2	0
		G Urpí	7	4	6	6													2	J Connors	6	6	6
		C Casa	5	6	4	0					G Urpí	3	6	4
		C Roger-Vasselin	1	5	6	3				2	J Connors	6	7	6
	2	J Connors	6	7	3	6

• Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) – 1981 French Open Men's Singles draw
• 1981 French Open – Men's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation