# 1981 ABN World Tennis Tournament – Singles

Heinz Günthardt was the defending champion of the singles event at the ABN World Tennis Tournament, but did not participate in this edition. First-seeded Jimmy Connors won the title after a victory in the final against second-seeded Gene Mayer 6–1, 2–6, 6–2.

## Seeds

* Jimmy Connors (champion)
* Gene Mayer (final)
* Wojtek Fibak (semifinals)
* Yannick Noah (quarterfinals)
* Brian Gottfried (semifinals)
* Balázs Taróczy (first round)
* Vijay Amritraj (second round)
* Bob Lutz (first round)

## Draw
### Finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Jimmy Connors | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| 5 | Brian Gottfried | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| 5 | Brian Gottfried | 2 | 3 | 1 | Jimmy Connors | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| | | | | 2 | Gene Mayer | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| 3 | Wojtek Fibak | 2 | 3 | 2 | Gene Mayer | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| 2 | Gene Mayer | 6 | 6 | | | | | |

### Upper 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 | Semifinals |
| 1 | Jimmy Connors | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Tim Wilkison | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Tim Wilkison | 2 | 1 | | 1 | Jimmy Connors | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Eric Wilborts | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Eric Wilborts | 2 | 6 | 6 | | Eric Wilborts | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Pat Dupre | 6 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Pat Dupre | 6 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | 1 | Jimmy Connors | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Sandy Mayer | 4 | 3 | | | | | | |
| | Bill Scanlon | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | Sandy Mayer | 4 | 3 | | | | | |
| | Andrés Gómez | 3 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Andrés Gómez | 3 | 0 | | | Bill Scanlon | 7 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Sandy Mayer | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Sandy Mayer | 6 | 6 | | | Sandy Mayer | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Robert Lutz | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Robert Lutz | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Jimmy Connors | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Brian Gottfried | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | Yannick Noah | 5 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Brian Gottfried | 2 | 3 |
| | Peter Rennert | 7 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Peter Rennert | 7 | 4 | 1 | 4 | Yannick Noah | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Rolf Gehring | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Rolf Gehring | 6 | 4 | 6 | | Rolf Gehring | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Marc Albert | 1 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Marc Albert | 1 | 6 | 4 | | | | | | 4 | Yannick Noah | 7 | 3 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Brian Gottfried | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | Tomáš Šmíd | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Brian Gottfried | 6 | 6 | 7 | | | | |
| | Kjell Johansson | 7 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kjell Johansson | 7 | 4 | 1 | | Tomáš Šmíd | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | Brian Gottfried | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Chris Lewis | 4 | 4 | | 5 | Brian Gottfried | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Brian Gottfried | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Lower 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 |
| 7 | Vijay Amritraj | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jan Norbäck | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jan Norbäck | 2 | 2 | | 7 | Vijay Amritraj | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Raúl Ramírez | 7 | 5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Raúl Ramírez | 6 | 6 | | | Raúl Ramírez | 7 | 5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Manuel Orantes | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Manuel Orantes | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | Raúl Ramírez | 1 | 4 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Wojtek Fibak | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Trey Waltke | 6 | 4 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Wojtek Fibak | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Eddie Edwards | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Eddie Edwards | 2 | 6 | 6 | | Trey Waltke | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 3 | Wojtek Fibak | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Carlos Kirmayr | 1 | 6 | 0 | 3 | Wojtek Fibak | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Wojtek Fibak | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Wojtek Fibak | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Wojtek Fibak | 2 | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Gene Mayer | 6 | 6 |
| 6 | Balázs Taróczy | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Gene Mayer | 6 | 6 |
| | Buster Mottram | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Buster Mottram | 6 | 6 | | | Buster Mottram | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Fritz Buehning | 5 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Louk Sanders | 6 | 6 | 3 | | Fritz Buehning | 5 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fritz Buehning | 7 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fritz Buehning | 7 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | Buster Mottram | 1 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Gene Mayer | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | Kim Warwick | 1 | 6 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Gene Mayer | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | Tim Gullikson | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Tim Gullikson | 6 | 3 | 6 | | Tim Gullikson | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Gene Mayer | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kevin Curren | 2 | 2 | | 2 | Gene Mayer | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Gene Mayer | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |