# 1981 Swedish Open – Singles

Balázs Taróczy was the defending champion, but chose to compete at Hilversum in the same week.
Thierry Tulasne won the title by defeating Anders Järryd 6–2, 6–3 in the final.

## Seeds

* Peter McNamara (quarterfinals)
* Paul McNamee (quarterfinals, retired)
* Mark Edmondson (quarterfinals)
* John Fitzgerald (quarterfinals)
* Per Hjertquist (second round)
* Thierry Tulasne (champion)
* Jan Norbäck (first round)
* Paul Kronk (second 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

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 6 | Thierry Tulasne | 6 | 7 | | | | |
| | Joakim Nyström | 2 | 6 | | | | |
| | Joakim Nyström | 2 | 6 | 6 | Thierry Tulasne | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | Anders Järryd | 2 | 3 |
| | Fernando Luna | 3 | 4 | | Anders Järryd | 2 | 3 |
| | Anders Järryd | 6 | 6 | | | | |

### Top half

| 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 |
| 1 | P McNamara | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | W Hampson | 3 | 4 | | 1 | P McNamara | 1 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | M Wilander | 6 | 6 | | | M Wilander | 6 | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | T Svensson | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | 1 | P McNamara | 1 | 0 | | | | |
| | R Vizcaíno | 6 | 0 | 6 | | | | | | 6 | T Tulasne | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | B Pils | 2 | 6 | 2 | | R Vizcaíno | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | L Bourne | 5 | 4 | | 6 | T Tulasne | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | T Tulasne | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | T Tulasne | 6 | 7 |
| 3 | M Edmondson | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | J Nyström | 2 | 6 |
| | S Simonsson | 5 | 6 | | 3 | M Edmondson | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Gunnarsson | 6 | 7 | | | J Gunnarsson | 0 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | D Carter | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | 3 | M Edmondson | 2 | 0 | | | | |
| | A Maurer | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | J Nyström | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | H Simonsson | 6 | 6 | | | H Simonsson | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Nyström | 6 | 6 | | | J Nyström | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | J Norbäck | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| 5 | P Hjertquist | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Svensson | 0 | 6 | 3 | 5 | P Hjertquist | 2 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | O Parun | 3 | 2 | | | F Luna | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | F Luna | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | F Luna | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | |
| | H Sundström | 6 | 6 | 1 | | | | | | 4 | J Fitzgerald | 4 | 7 | 2 | | | |
| | O Palmer | 3 | 7 | 6 | | O Palmer | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | L Palin | 0 | 0 | | 4 | J Fitzgerald | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | J Fitzgerald | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | F Luna | 3 | 4 |
| 8 | P Kronk | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | A Järryd | 6 | 6 |
| | U Marten | 6 | 0 | 0 | 8 | P Kronk | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | J Windahl | 4 | 5 | | | A Järryd | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Järryd | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | A Järryd | 3 | 1 | | | | |
| | C Panatta | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | 2 | P McNamee | 6 | 0$^r$ | | | | |
| | C Johnstone | 4 | 4 | | | C Panatta | 4 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | H Kary | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | P McNamee | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | P McNamee | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |