1981 US Open – Men's doubles

The men's doubles tournament at the 1981 US Open was held on September 1–13, 1981 on the outdoor hard courts at the USTA National Tennis Center in New York City, United States. Heinz Günthardt and Peter McNamara forfeited the title to Peter Fleming and John McEnroe in the final.

Men's doubles
1981 US Open
Champion	Peter Fleming John McEnroe
Runner-up	Heinz Günthardt Peter McNamara
Score	W/O
Draw	64
Seeds	16

Seeds

1. John McEnroe / Peter Fleming (champions)
2. Heinz Günthardt / Peter McNamara (final)
3. Raúl Ramírez / Van Winitsky (second round)
4. Marty Riessen / Sherwood Stewart (first round)
5. Bruce Manson / Brian Teacher (first round)
6. Fritz Buehning / Ferdi Taygan (semifinals)
7. Kevin Curren / Steve Denton (quarterfinals)
8. Victor Amaya / Hank Pfister (quarterfinals)
9. Wojciech Fibak / Stan Smith (first round)
10. Terry Moor / Eliot Teltscher (third round)
11. Tim Gullikson / Bernard Mitton (second round)
12. Johan Kriek / Frew McMillan (first round)
13. Andrew Pattison / Butch Walts (first round)
14. Ilie Năstase / Adriano Panatta (first round)
15. Raymond Moore / Erik van Dillen (third round)
16. Eddie Edwards / Craig Edwards (first round)

Draw

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild card
• LL = Lucky loser
• Alt = Alternate
• ITF = ITF entry
• PR = Protected ranking
• SR = Special ranking
• SE = Special exempt
• JE = Junior exempt
• JR = Junior Accelerator Programme entrant
• CO = College Accelerator Programme entrant
• NG = Next Gen Accelerator Program entrant
• w/o = Walkover
• r = Retired
• d = Defaulted

Finals

	Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Final
	1	Peter Fleming John McEnroe	6	6	7
	7	Kevin Curren Steve Denton	1	2	5
										1	Peter Fleming John McEnroe	6	6	5	6	7
											John Newcombe Fred Stolle	2	2	7	7	6
		Mike Cahill Tom Gullikson	5	6	6	6	3
		John Newcombe Fred Stolle	7	7	3	4	6
																			1	Peter Fleming John McEnroe	w/o
																			2	Heinz Günthardt Peter McNamara
	6	Fritz Buehning Ferdi Taygan	3	6	6	6	6
		Lloyd Bourne Matt Mitchell	6	3	7	4	3
										6	Fritz Buehning Ferdi Taygan	6	6	4
										2	Heinz Günthardt Peter McNamara	7	7	6
	8	Victor Amaya Hank Pfister	4	2	4
	2	Heinz Günthardt Peter McNamara	6	6	6

Top half

Section 1

	First round							Second round									Third round									Quarterfinals
	1	P Fleming J McEnroe	6	7	6
		J Hayes K Kerns	7	6	3			1	P Fleming J McEnroe	6	6
		D Ralston R Tanner	6	3	6				D Ralston R Tanner	4	4
		S Ball R Case	4	6	3												1	P Fleming J McEnroe	2	7	2	6	6
		J Austin F McNair	6	6													10	T Moor E Teltscher	6	6	6	3	2
		M Purcell V Van Patten	3	3					J Austin F McNair	2	6	4
	10	T Moor E Teltscher	6	4	6			10	T Moor E Teltscher	6	3	6
		S Carnahan G Petrovic	3	6	3																					1	P Fleming J McEnroe	6	6	7
		T Giammalva S Giammalva	6	6																						7	K Curren S Denton	1	2	5
	14	I Năstase A Panatta	2	2					T Giammalva S Giammalva	7	6	6
		D Carter F González	6	7					D Carter F González	6	7	7
		M Davis C Dunk	3	5														D Carter F González	7	7	4	6
		M Estep B Scanlon	7	7													7	K Curren S Denton	5	5	6	1
		J Lloyd N Saviano	5	5					M Estep B Scanlon	6	5
	7	K Curren S Denton	6	6				7	K Curren S Denton	7	7
		A Kohlberg S Menon	3	3

Section 2

	First round							Second round									Third round									Quarterfinals
		M Cahill To Gullikson	3	7	6
	4	M Riessen S Stewart	6	6	3				M Cahill To Gullikson	6	6	6
		J Fillol A Fillol	6	3	6				J Fillol A Fillol	2	7	2
		A Cortes L Palin	3	6	3													M Cahill To Gullikson	6	3	6	6	7
		A Andrews D Gitlin	7	6	6													A Andrews D Gitlin	7	6	3	4	5
		M Edmondson C Letcher	5	7	2				A Andrews D Gitlin	6	7
		R Baxter J Ross	6	6					R Baxter J Ross	3	6
	12	J Kriek F McMillan	2	4																							M Cahill To Gullikson	5	6	6	6	3
		T Graham B Nichols	7	6	6																						J Newcombe F Stolle	7	7	3	4	6
	16	E Edwards C Edwards	6	7	3				T Graham B Nichols	6	6	6
		J James R Meyer	6	7					J James R Meyer	7	1	4
		J Gurfein B Willenborg	4	6														T Graham B Nichols	6	3	6	6	4
		S Docherty H Fritz	6	5	6													J Newcombe F Stolle	3	6	7	4	6
		G Fritz H Ismail	4	7	3				S Docherty H Fritz	7	6	2
		J Newcombe F Stolle	6	7					J Newcombe F Stolle	6	7	6
	5	B Manson B Teacher	3	5

Bottom half

Section 3

	First round							Second round									Third round									Quarterfinals
	6	F Buehning F Taygan	6	6
		R Acuña P Rebolledo	1	1				6	F Buehning F Taygan	7	6
		D Pate K Richter	7	7					D Pate K Richter	5	4
		A Amritraj V Amritraj	6	6													6	F Buehning F Taygan	6	6	6
		S McCain L Stefanki	7	6													15	R Moore E van Dillen	4	2	2
		C Dibley J Smith	6	1					S McCain L Stefanki	6	1
	15	R Moore E van Dillen	3	6	6			15	R Moore E van Dillen	7	6
		R Fagel D Schneider	6	4	1																					6	F Buehning F Taygan	3	6	6	6	6
		L Bourne M Mitchell	7	6																							L Bourne M Mitchell	6	3	7	4	3
	13	A Pattison B Walts	6	3					L Bourne M Mitchell	7	6
		B Drewett C Lewis	6	7					B Drewett C Lewis	5	4
		F Maynetto J Núñez	4	6														L Bourne M Mitchell	6	2	6	6	7
		M Bauer J Benson	4	6	6													M Bauer J Benson	7	6	4	1	5
		S Meister M Vines	6	3	3				M Bauer J Benson	3	6	6
	3	R Ramírez V Winitsky	7	7				3	R Ramírez V Winitsky	6	2	3
		D Dowlen N Odizor	6	5

Section 4

	First round							Second round									Third round									Quarterfinals
	8	V Amaya H Pfister	6	3	6
		P Hjertquist S Krulevitz	2	6	2			8	V Amaya H Pfister	7	7
		T Delatte T Waltke	1	6	7				T Delatte T Waltke	5	6
		A Gómez T Wilkison	6	4	6												8	V Amaya H Pfister	6	4	1	6	7
		T Okker D Stockton	6	6														T Okker D Stockton	3	6	6	3	5
		B Sison C Wittus	4	2					T Okker D Stockton	6	6
	11	Ti Gullikson B Mitton	7	7				11	Ti Gullikson B Mitton	3	2
		J Bailey C Hooper	6	5																						8	V Amaya H Pfister	4	2	4
		M Fishbach M Hardy	7	6	6																					2	H Günthardt P McNamara	6	6	6
	9	W Fibak S Smith	5	7	4				M Fishbach M Hardy	4	4
		T Mayotte C Mayotte	7	6					T Mayotte C Mayotte	6	6
		M Günthardt H Simonsson	6	4														T Mayotte C Mayotte	4	3	0
		E Fromm C Leeds	6	6													2	H Günthardt P McNamara	6	6	6
		J Alexander P Dent	4	3					E Fromm C Leeds	7	1	6
	2	H Günthardt P McNamara	6	6				2	H Günthardt P McNamara	6	6	7
		H Leconte G Moretton	3	4

External links

• Main draw
• 1981 US Open – Men's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation