# 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.

## Seeds

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

## 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 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Peter Fleming John McEnroe | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Kevin Curren Steve Denton | 1 | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 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 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 6 | | | |
| | John Newcombe Fred Stolle | 7 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 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 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Heinz Günthardt Peter McNamara |
| | Lloyd Bourne Matt Mitchell | 6 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 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 | 7 | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| 2 | Heinz Günthardt Peter McNamara | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Top half
#### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | 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 | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | 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 | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | 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 | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | 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 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |