# 1981 US Open – Women's singles qualifying

Players who neither had high enough rankings nor received wild cards to enter the main draw of the annual US Open Tennis Championships participated in a qualifying tournament held over several days before the event.

## Seeds

* Tina Mochizuki (qualified)
* Linda Cassell (first round)
* Nanette Schutte (first round)
* Marita Redondo (first round)
* Lucy Gordon (qualifying competition, Lucky loser)
* Cláudia Monteiro (first round)
* Mariëtte Pakker (first round)
* Shelley Solomon (first round)
* Marie-Christine Calleja (qualified)
* Jill Davis (qualifying competition, Lucky loser)
* Catrin Jexell (first round)
* Joni Urban (second round)
* Pam Whytcross (first round)
* Kate Brasher (qualified)
* Felicia Hutnick (qualified)
* Heather Ludloff (second round)

## Qualifiers

* Tina Mochizuki
* Leigh-Anne Thompson
* Kate Brasher
* Felicia Hutnick
* Marie-Christine Calleja
* Barbara Gerken
* Jean Hepner
* Kate Gompert

## Lucky losers

* Jill Davis
* Lucy Gordon
* Jodi Appelbaum-Steinbauer
* Beatrix Klein

## 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

### First qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 1 | Tina Mochizuki | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Shelby Torrance | 6 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Shelby Torrance | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | Tina Mochizuki | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Connie Yowell | 1 | 4 | | | | | |
| | Connie Yowell | 6 | 6 | | | Connie Yowell | 1 | 4 | | | | | |
| | Lori Miller | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lori Miller | 1 | 2 | | | | | | 1 | Tina Mochizuki | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | 10 | Jill Davis | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| | Gina Genovese | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | Jill Davis | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| | Lori McNeil | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lori McNeil | 6 | 6 | | | Lori McNeil | 3 | 0 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 10 | Jill Davis | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Sonoe Yonezawa | 6$^2$ | 1 | | 10 | Jill Davis | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| 10 | Jill Davis | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Second qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 12 | Joni Urban | 2 | 7$^7$ | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | |
| | Jean Nachand | 6 | 6$^2$ | 6$^3$ | | | | | | | |
| | Jean Nachand | 6 | 6$^2$ | 6$^3$ | 12 | Joni Urban | 2 | 6 | 2 | | |
| | | | | | | Aleida Spex | 6 | 2 | 6 | | |
| | Aleida Spex | 7 | 6 | | | Aleida Spex | 6 | 2 | 6 | | |
| | Helena Suková | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | Helena Suková | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | Aleida Spex | 0$^r$ |
| | | | | | | | | | | Leigh-Anne Thompson | 6 |
| | Kay McDaniel | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | Leigh-Anne Thompson | 6 |
| | Penny Barg | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Penny Barg | 6 | 6 | | | Penny Barg | 4 | 2 | | | |
| | | | | | | Leigh-Anne Thompson | 6 | 6 | | | |
| | Leigh-Anne Thompson | 6 | 6 | | | Leigh-Anne Thompson | 6 | 6 | | | |
| 8 | Shelley Solomon | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | |

### Third qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 4 | Marita Redondo | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kyle Copeland | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kyle Copeland | 6 | 6 | | | Kyle Copeland | 6$^5$ | 7 | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Beatrix Klein | 7$^7$ | 5 | 6 | | | | |
| | Beatrix Klein | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | Beatrix Klein | 7$^7$ | 5 | 6 | | | | |
| | Clare Harrison | 0 | 6$^2$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Clare Harrison | 0 | 6$^2$ | | | | | | | | Beatrix Klein | 4 | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 14 | Kate Brasher | 6 | 6 |
| | Hélène Pelletier | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | Kate Brasher | 6 | 6 |
| | Michaela Washington | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Michaela Washington | 6 | 6 | | | Michaela Washington | 7$^7$ | 1 | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | | 14 | Kate Brasher | 6$^4$ | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Chris Newton | 3 | 6 | 1 | 14 | Kate Brasher | 6$^4$ | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 14 | Kate Brasher | 6 | 1 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |

### Fourth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 15 | Felicia Hutnick | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lisa Bublitz | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lisa Bublitz | 5 | 4 | | 15 | Felicia Hutnick | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Silvana Urroz | 3 | 6$^5$ | | | | | | |
| | Silvana Urroz | 6 | 6 | | | Silvana Urroz | 3 | 6$^5$ | | | | | | |
| | Shannon Gordon | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Shannon Gordon | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | 15 | Felicia Hutnick | 0 | 7 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Ilana Kloss | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| | Karin Moos | 2 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | Ilana Kloss | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| | Phyllis Blackwell | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Phyllis Blackwell | 6 | 2 | 6 | | Phyllis Blackwell | 2 | 6 | 3 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Ilana Kloss | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Ilana Kloss | 6 | 2 | 6 | | Ilana Kloss | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | |
| 6 | Cláudia Monteiro | 3 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Fifth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 5 | Lucy Gordon | 1 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Vicki Beggs | 6 | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Vicki Beggs | 6 | 3 | 1 | 5 | Lucy Gordon | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Betsy Blaney | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| | Betsy Blaney | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | Betsy Blaney | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| | Julie Filkoff | 6$^1$ | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Julie Filkoff | 6$^1$ | 3 | | | | | | 5 | Lucy Gordon | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | 9 | Marie-Christine Calleja | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| | Jenni Goodling | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | Marie-Christine Calleja | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| | Cheryl Jones | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Cheryl Jones | 6 | 6 | | | Cheryl Jones | 6$^4$ | 3 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 9 | Marie-Christine Calleja | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | |
| | Suzanne Jarell | 2 | 1 | | 9 | Marie-Christine Calleja | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | |
| 9 | Marie-Christine Calleja | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Sixth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 16 | Heather Ludloff | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Donna Rubin | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | Donna Rubin | 4 | 2 | | 16 | Heather Ludloff | 2 | 2 | | | |
| | | | | | | Barbara Gerken | 6 | 6 | | | |
| | Barbara Gerken | 6 | 6 | | | Barbara Gerken | 6 | 6 | | | |
| | Cathy Farrell | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | Cathy Farrell | 1 | 1 | | | | | | Barbara Gerken | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | Louise Allen | 4 | 3 |
| | Nancy Ornstein | 6 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | Louise Allen | 4 | 3 |
| | Carol Watson | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| | Carol Watson | 2 | 6 | 6 | | Carol Watson | 3 | 1 | | | |
| | | | | | | Louise Allen | 6 | 6 | | | |
| | Louise Allen | 3 | 6 | 6 | | Louise Allen | 6 | 6 | | | |
| 3 | Nanette Schutte | 6 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | |

### Seventh qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 7 | Mariëtte Pakker | 6$^5$ | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Cissie Donigan | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Cissie Donigan | 7$^7$ | 6 | | Cissie Donigan | 3 | 7 | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | Jean Hepner | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | |
| | Jean Hepner | 6 | 0 | 6 | Jean Hepner | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | |
| | Caryn Copeland | 2 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | Caryn Copeland | 2 | 6 | 1 | | | | | Jean Hepner | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | Jodi Appelbaum-Steinbauer | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| | Stephanie Hales | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | Jodi Appelbaum-Steinbauer | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| | Jodi Appelbaum-Steinbauer | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jodi Appelbaum-Steinbauer | 6 | 6 | | Jodi Appelbaum-Steinbauer | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | Genevieve Greiwe | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| | Genevieve Greiwe | 7 | 6 | | Genevieve Greiwe | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| 11 | Catrin Jexell | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |

### Eighth qualifier

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition | Qualifying competition |
| 13 | Pam Whytcross | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | |
| | Kate Gompert | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| | Kate Gompert | 6 | 6 | Kate Gompert | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | |
| | | | | Camille Benjamin | 4 | 6 | 2 | | | |
| | Camille Benjamin | 6 | 6 | Camille Benjamin | 4 | 6 | 2 | | | |
| | Brenda Perry | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | |
| | Brenda Perry | 2 | 2 | | | | | Kate Gompert | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | Gretchen Rush | 4 | 2 |
| | Angela Walker | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | Gretchen Rush | 4 | 2 |
| | Kathy O'Brien | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| | Kathy O'Brien | 6 | 6 | Kathy O'Brien | 3 | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | Gretchen Rush | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | Gretchen Rush | 6 | 6 | Gretchen Rush | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| 2 | Linda Cassell | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | |