# 1981 Australian Open – Women's singles

Martina Navratilova defeated Chris Evert in the final, 6–7$^{(4–7)}$, 6–4, 7–5 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1981 Australian Open. It was her first Australian Open singles title and third major singles title overall. Evert was attempting to complete the career Grand Slam (she would achieve the feat the following year).
Hana Mandlíková was the defending champion, but was defeated in the quarterfinals by Evert.

## Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Martina Navratilova is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.
* Chris Evert (finalist)
* Tracy Austin (quarterfinals)
* Martina Navratilova (champion)
* Andrea Jaeger (quarterfinals)
* Hana Mandlíková (quarterfinals)
* Pam Shriver (semifinals)
* Wendy Turnbull (semifinals)
* Evonne Goolagong (quarterfinals)
* Barbara Potter (second round)
* Mima Jaušovec (third round)
* Virginia Ruzici (first round)
* Bettina Bunge (third round)
* Sue Barker (third round)
* Kathy Jordan (third round)

## Draw
### Key

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

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Chris Evert | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Hana Mandlíková | 4 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Hana Mandlíková | 4 | 5 | 1 | Chris Evert | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | |
| | | | | 7 | Wendy Turnbull | 4 | 6$^1$ | | | | | |
| 4 | Andrea Jaeger | 3 | 6$^{10}$ | 7 | Wendy Turnbull | 4 | 6$^1$ | | | | | |
| 7 | Wendy Turnbull | 6 | 7$^{12}$ | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Wendy Turnbull | 6 | 7$^{12}$ | | | | | 1 | Chris Evert | 7$^7$ | 4 | 5 |
| | | | | | | | | 3 | Martina Navratilova | 6$^4$ | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | Evonne Goolagong | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Martina Navratilova | 6$^4$ | 6 | 7 |
| 3 | Martina Navratilova | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Martina Navratilova | 6 | 6 | 3 | Martina Navratilova | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | | | | 6 | Pam Shriver | 3 | 5 | | | | | |
| 6 | Pam Shriver | 7 | 7$^7$ | 6 | Pam Shriver | 3 | 5 | | | | | |
| 2 | Tracy Austin | 5 | 6$^4$ | | | | | | | | | |

### Earlier rounds
#### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | 1 | C Evert | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | B Gadusek | 6 | 6 | | B Gadusek | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | D Fromholtz | 3 | 1 | | | | | 1 | C Evert | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | B Stöve | 6 | 6 | | | | | | C Reynolds | 4 | 2 | | | | |
| Q | H Lütten | 2 | 4 | | B Stöve | 5 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | C Reynolds | 6 | 6 | | C Reynolds | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | C Kohde-Kilsch | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | 1 | C Evert | 6 | 7 |
| 9 | B Potter | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | 5 | H Mandlíková | 4 | 5 |
| Q | K Skronská | 4 | 2 | 9 | B Potter | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| Q | H Suková | 6 | 6 | Q | H Suková | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | A Smith | 4 | 1 | | | | | Q | H Suková | 2 | 1 | | | | |
| | N Yeargin | 7 | 6 | | | | | 5 | H Mandlíková | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | P Smith | 6 | 3 | | N Yeargin | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | 5 | H Mandlíková | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| 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 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | 4 | A Jaeger | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Hobbs | 6 | 2 | 6 | | A Hobbs | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | I Villiger | 1 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | 4 | A Jaeger | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | E Pfaff | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 13 | S Barker | 4 | 5 | | | | | |
| | R Casals | 6 | 4 | 4 | | E Pfaff | 3 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Minter | 1 | 3 | | 13 | S Barker | 6 | 1 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | S Barker | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | A Jaeger | 6 | 7$^{12}$ |
| 12 | B Bunge | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | W Turnbull | 3 | 6$^{10}$ |
| Q | B Remilton | 0 | 0 | | 12 | B Bunge | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Kiyomura | 6 | 7 | | | A Kiyomura | 0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Fairbank | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | 12 | B Bunge | 6 | 2 | 1 | | | | |
| | A White | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 7 | W Turnbull | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | C Vanier | 3 | 3 | | | A White | 2 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 7 | W Turnbull | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |

#### 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 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | 8 | E Goolagong | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | L Allen | 6 | 6 | | | L Allen | 7 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| Q | K Gulley | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | 8 | E Goolagong | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | S Walsh | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | 10 | M Jaušovec | 3 | 1 | | | | | |
| | M Pinterová | 1 | 5 | | | S Walsh | 6 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | N Gregory | 3 | 3 | | 10 | M Jaušovec | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | M Jaušovec | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | E Goolagong | 3 | 1 |
| 14 | K Jordan | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | M Navratilova | 6 | 6 |
| | P Teeguarden | 6 | 3 | 3 | 14 | K Jordan | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | B Nagelsen | 7 | 6 | | | B Nagelsen | 4 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M L Piatek | 5 | 1 | | | | | | | 14 | K Jordan | 5 | 6 | 2 | | | | |
| Q | A Tobin | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | 3 | M Navratilova | 7 | 3 | 6 | | | | |
| | S Acker | 4 | 5 | | Q | A Tobin | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 3 | M Navratilova | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

#### 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 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | 6 | P Shriver | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | D Desfor | 4 | 6 | 6 | | D Desfor | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Blount | 6 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | 6 | P Shriver | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | J Durie | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | J Durie | 3 | 2 | | | | |
| | B Hallquist | 4 | 1 | | | J Durie | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| | L Antonoplis | 6 | 6 | | | L Antonoplis | 0 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | V Ruzici | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | P Shriver | 7 | 7$^7$ |
| | M Blackwood | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | T Austin | 5 | 6$^4$ |
| | R Tomanová | 4 | 3 | | | M Blackwood | 4 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | S Saliba | 6 | 3 | 7 | | S Saliba | 6 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| Q | C Tanvier | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | M Blackwood | 3 | 5 | | | | |
| | S Leo | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | 2 | T Austin | 6 | 7 | | | | |
| Q | K Steinmetz | 6 | 4 | | | S Leo | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | T Austin | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |