1981 Australian Open – Men's singles

Men's singles
1981 Australian Open
Final
ChampionSouth Africa Johan Kriek
Runner-upUnited States Steve Denton
Score6–2, 7–6(7–1), 6–7(1–7), 6–4
Details
Draw64
Seeds16
Events
Singles men women boys girls
Doubles men women mixed boys girls
WC Singles men women quad
WC Doubles men women quad
Legends men women mixed
← 1980 · Australian Open · 1982 →
1981 tennis event results

Johan Kriek defeated Steve Denton in the final, 6–2, 7–6(7–1), 6–7(1–7), 6–4 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1981 Australian Open. It was his first major title.

Brian Teacher was the reigning champion, but did not compete this year.

Seeds

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

  1. Argentina Guillermo Vilas (third round)
  2. Australia Peter McNamara (quarterfinals)
  3. United States Roscoe Tanner (second round)
  4. South Africa Johan Kriek (champion)
  5. Australia Kim Warwick (quarterfinals)
  6. Australia Mark Edmondson (semifinals)
  7. United States Fritz Buehning (first round)
  8. United States Tim Mayotte (quarterfinals)
  9. Israel Shlomo Glickstein (quarterfinals)
  10. United States John Sadri (first round)
  11. New Zealand Chris Lewis (third round)
  12. United States Hank Pfister (semifinals)
  13. United States Pat DuPré (third round)
  14. South Africa Kevin Curren (second round)
  15. United States Peter Rennert (second round)
  16. Australia John Fitzgerald (first round)

Qualifying

Draw

Key

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

Final eight

Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
                     
12 United States Hank Pfister 6 4 6 6
5 Australia Kim Warwick 1 6 4 3
12 United States Hank Pfister 6 7 1 6 3
United States Steve Denton 7 6 6 3 6
9 Israel Shlomo Glickstein 4 6 6 0
United States Steve Denton 6 3 7 6
United States Steve Denton 2 6 7 4
4 South Africa Johan Kriek 6 7 6 6
8 United States Tim Mayotte 6 3 5
4 South Africa Johan Kriek 7 6 7
4 South Africa Johan Kriek 6 7 7
6 Australia Mark Edmondson 0 6 5
6 Australia Mark Edmondson 7 7 6
2 Australia Peter McNamara 5 6 3

Section 1

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
1 Argentina G Vilas 6 6 7
Sweden J Nyström 4 2 6 1 Argentina G Vilas 6 6 6 6
Q Australia W Masur 6 4 6 2 6 United States L Stefanki 7 3 4 4
United States L Stefanki 4 6 2 6 7 1 Argentina G Vilas 3 4 4
Sweden H Simonsson 6 7 6 6 12 United States H Pfister 6 6 6
United States R Hightower 4 6 7 3 Sweden H Simonsson 2 0 2
United States L Bourne 6 6 3 6 1 12 United States H Pfister 6 6 6
12 United States H Pfister 3 7 6 2 6 12 United States H Pfister 6 4 6 6
16 Australia J Fitzgerald 7 6 6 3 4 5 Australia K Warwick 1 6 4 3
Australia P Dent 5 3 7 6 6 Australia P Dent 7 6 7
Australia C Fancutt 3 6 6 6 Australia C Fancutt 6 4 6
Australia C Johnstone 6 4 3 0 Australia P Dent 3 3 0
United States J Gurfein 6 7 6 5 Australia K Warwick 6 6 6
Q Australia W Pascoe 3 6 3 United States J Gurfein 5 2 5
Australia B Drewett 4 1 2 5 Australia K Warwick 7 6 7
5 Australia K Warwick 6 6 6

Section 2

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
3 United States R Tanner 6 6 6
Australia G Whitecross 3 3 3 3 United States R Tanner 3 6 4 3
Australia R Frawley 2 6 6 3 6 Australia R Frawley 6 4 6 6
Sweden A Järryd 6 2 1 6 3 Australia R Frawley 2 3 2
United States D Siegler 6 6 3 3 3 9 Israel S Glickstein 6 6 6
France J Potier 3 1 6 6 6 France J Potier 3 4 2
United States C Dunk 4 6 5 9 Israel S Glickstein 6 6 6
9 Israel S Glickstein 6 7 7 9 Israel S Glickstein 4 6 6 0
14 South Africa K Curren 6 6 6 United States S Denton 6 3 7 6
United States S Krulevitz 2 2 1 14 South Africa K Curren 7 6 3 2 2
South Africa E Edwards 6 7 3 6 3 United States S Denton 6 3 6 6 6
United States S Denton 7 6 6 4 6 United States S Denton 6 4 7 7 7
France T Tulasne 6 6 7 Australia J Alexander 7 6 6 5 6
New Zealand O Parun 3 4 5 France T Tulasne 4 1 3
Australia J Alexander 2 6 3 6 7 Australia J Alexander 6 6 6
7 United States F Buehning 6 4 6 1 6

Section 3

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
8 United States T Mayotte 6 6 6
Q United States E Sherbeck 2 3 1 8 United States T Mayotte 7 6 6
United States R Van't Hof 6 6 1 4 6 United States R Van't Hof 6 3 3
United States T Wilkison 3 3 6 6 3 8 United States T Mayotte 7 7 6
New Zealand R Simpson 6 7 6 6 6 13 United States P DuPré 6 5 4
Q Australia D Collings 7 5 7 4 4 New Zealand R Simpson 4 4 2
Australia B Guan 4 7 6 3 3 13 United States P DuPré 6 6 6
13 United States P DuPré 6 6 4 6 6 8 United States T Mayotte 6 3 5
11 New Zealand C Lewis 6 6 6 4 South Africa J Kriek 7 6 7
Romania I Năstase 4 3 2 11 New Zealand C Lewis 6 6 6
United Kingdom J Smith 2 6 7 4 1 United States M Davis 4 3 3
United States M Davis 6 7 6 6 6 11 New Zealand C Lewis 5 5 6 6 4
Q Sweden T Högstedt 7 6 6 4 South Africa J Kriek 7 7 3 2 6
United States S McCain 5 4 2 Q Sweden T Högstedt 2 4 6
Q United States D Gitlin 2 5 1 4 South Africa J Kriek 6 6 7
4 South Africa J Kriek 6 7 6

Section 4

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
6 Australia M Edmondson 6 6 6
Australia P Cash 1 2 3 6 Australia M Edmondson 5 1 7 7 6
Australia S Ball 6 6 4 7 Australia S Ball 7 6 5 5 4
Q United States S Meister 2 4 6 6 6 Australia M Edmondson 6 6 6
United States J Delaney 6 3 6 7 Q Australia C Letcher 2 0 3
Q United States M Mitchell 4 6 3 6 United States J Delaney 6 6 6 6 4
Q Australia C Letcher 3 6 6 6 Q Australia C Letcher 7 7 4 3 6
10 United States J Sadri 6 3 4 4 6 Australia M Edmondson 7 7 6
15 United States P Rennert 6 6 3 6 2 Australia P McNamara 5 6 3
Australia CA Miller 2 2 6 3 15 United States P Rennert 6 1 3
Australia P Kronk 3 6 6 7 Australia P Kronk 7 6 6
Sweden M Wilander 6 3 4 5 Australia P Kronk 6 2 2 6 3
United Kingdom R Lewis 7 6 6 2 Australia P McNamara 1 6 6 4 6
United States C Wittus 6 4 0 United Kingdom R Lewis 6 6 5 4 2
Australia D Carter 0 2 2 2 Australia P McNamara 3 4 7 6 6
2 Australia P McNamara 6 6 6

External links

  • Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) – 1981 Australian Open Men's Singles draw
  • 1981 Australian Open – Men's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation
Preceded by Grand Slam men's singles Succeeded by
  • v
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Amateur Era
Open Era