# 1971 Australian Open – Women's singles

Two-time defending champion Margaret Court defeated Evonne Goolagong in the final, 2–6, 7–6$^{(7–0)}$, 7–5 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1971 Australian Open. It was her tenth Australian Open singles title, sixth consecutive major singles title, and 21st major singles title overall.

## Seeds

The first and second seeds receive a bye into the second round.
* Margaret Court (champion)
* Evonne Goolagong (finalist)
* Lesley Turner Bowrey (withdrew before the tournament began)
* Gail Chanfreau (first round)
* Patti Hogan (second round)
* Kerry Harris (first round)
* Winnie Shaw (semifinals)
* Helen Gourlay (quarterfinals)

## 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 | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Margaret Court | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Helen Gourlay | 0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Helen Gourlay | 0 | 4 | 1 | Margaret Court | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | Lesley Hunt | 0 | 3 | | | | | |
| | Lesley Hunt | 6 | 6 | | Lesley Hunt | 0 | 3 | | | | | |
| | Jan O'Neill | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jan O'Neill | 4 | 4 | | | | | 1 | Margaret Court | 2 | 7 | 7 |
| | | | | | | | | 2 | Evonne Goolagong | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| | Norma Marsh | 0 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Evonne Goolagong | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| 7 | Winnie Shaw | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Winnie Shaw | 6 | 7 | 7 | Winnie Shaw | 6 | 1 | | | | | |
| | | | | 2 | Evonne Goolagong | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Sharon Walsh | 3 | 4 | 2 | Evonne Goolagong | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| 2 | Evonne Goolagong | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |

### Earlier rounds
#### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| | | | | | 1 | M Court | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | H Taylor | 0 | 0 | | | P Coleman | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | P Coleman | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 1 | M Court | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | C Sieler | 3 | 4 | | | | | | 8 | H Gourlay | 0 | 4 | | | | |
| | B Hawcroft | 6 | 6 | | | B Hawcroft | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | V Lancaster | 3 | 6 | 1 | 8 | H Gourlay | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | H Gourlay | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | 1 | M Court | 6 | 6 |
| 5 | P Hogan | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | L Hunt | 0 | 3 |
| | S Walsham | 4 | 2 | | 5 | P Hogan | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | A Avis | 3 | 4 | | | L Hunt | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | L Hunt | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | L Hunt | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | J O'Neill | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | J O'Neill | 4 | 4 | | | | |
| | D Fromholtz | 3 | 0 | | | J O'Neill | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | N Eastburn | | | | | N Eastburn | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | G Chanfreau | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| | J Fallis | 7 | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Hole | 6 | 6 | 7 | | S Hole | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Tesch | 1 | 2 | | | N Marsh | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | N Marsh | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | N Marsh | 0 | 6 | | | | |
| | C Zeeman | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | 7 | W Shaw | 6 | 7 | | | | |
| | L Bowrey | 6 | 6 | | | L Bowrey | 0 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | J Young | 1 | 0 | | 7 | W Shaw | 6 | 1 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | W Shaw | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | W Shaw | 6 | 1 |
| 6 | K Harris | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | E Goolagong | 7 | 6 |
| | P Edwards | 6 | 7 | | | P Edwards | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Coleman | 2 | 2 | | | S Walsh | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Walsh | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | S Walsh | 3 | 4 | | | | |
| | H Kayser | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | 2 | E Goolagong | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | K Athorne | 0 | 0 | r | | H Kayser | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | E Goolagong | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |