Players who neither had high enough rankings nor received wild cards to enter the main draw of the annual US Open Tennis Championships participated in a qualifying tournament held over several days before the event.^[1]

Seeds

Qualifiers

Lucky losers

Qualifying draw

First qualifier

	First round							Second round							Qualifying competition
	1	Tina Mochizuki	3	6	6
		Shelby Torrance	6	4	1
								1	Tina Mochizuki	6	6
									Connie Yowell	1	4
		Connie Yowell	6	6
		Lori Miller	1	2
															1	Tina Mochizuki	6	2	6
															10	Jill Davis	2	6	4
		Gina Genovese	2	3
		Lori McNeil	6	6
									Lori McNeil	3	0
								10	Jill Davis	6	6
		Sonoe Yonezawa	62	1
	10	Jill Davis	77	6

Second qualifier

	First round							Second round							Qualifying competition
	12	Joni Urban	2	77	77
		Jean Nachand	6	62	63
								12	Joni Urban	2	6	2
									Aleida Spex	6	2	6
		Aleida Spex	7	6
		Helena Suková	5	4
																Aleida Spex	0r
																Leigh-Anne Thompson	6
		Kay McDaniel	4	3
		Penny Barg	6	6
									Penny Barg	4	2
									Leigh-Anne Thompson	6	6
		Leigh-Anne Thompson	6	6
	8	Shelley Solomon	3	1

Third qualifier

	First round							Second round							Qualifying competition
	4	Marita Redondo	3	2
		Kyle Copeland	6	6
									Kyle Copeland	65	7	1
									Beatrix Klein	77	5	6
		Beatrix Klein	6	77
		Clare Harrison	0	62
																Beatrix Klein	4	3
															14	Kate Brasher	6	6
		Hélène Pelletier	0	1
		Michaela Washington	6	6
									Michaela Washington	77	1	4
								14	Kate Brasher	64	6	6
		Chris Newton	3	6	1
	14	Kate Brasher	6	1	6

Fourth qualifier

	First round							Second round							Qualifying competition
	15	Felicia Hutnick	7	6
		Lisa Bublitz	5	4
								15	Felicia Hutnick	6	77
									Silvana Urroz	3	65
		Silvana Urroz	6	6
		Shannon Gordon	3	3
															15	Felicia Hutnick	0	7	6
																Ilana Kloss	6	5	1
		Karin Moos	2	6	1
		Phyllis Blackwell	6	2	6
									Phyllis Blackwell	2	6	3
									Ilana Kloss	6	2	6
		Ilana Kloss	6	2	6
	6	Cláudia Monteiro	3	6	4

Fifth qualifier

	First round							Second round							Qualifying competition
	5	Lucy Gordon	1	6	6
		Vicki Beggs	6	3	1
								5	Lucy Gordon	6	6
									Betsy Blaney	2	3
		Betsy Blaney	77	6
		Julie Filkoff	61	3
															5	Lucy Gordon	6	1	3
															9	Marie-Christine Calleja	4	6	6
		Jenni Goodling	2	4
		Cheryl Jones	6	6
									Cheryl Jones	64	3
								9	Marie-Christine Calleja	77	6
		Suzanne Jarell	2	1
	9	Marie-Christine Calleja	6	6

Sixth qualifier

	First round							Second round							Qualifying competition
	16	Heather Ludloff	6	6
		Donna Rubin	4	2
								16	Heather Ludloff	2	2
									Barbara Gerken	6	6
		Barbara Gerken	6	6
		Cathy Farrell	1	1
																Barbara Gerken	6	6
																Louise Allen	4	3
		Nancy Ornstein	6	3	2
		Carol Watson	2	6	6
									Carol Watson	3	1
									Louise Allen	6	6
		Louise Allen	3	6	6
	3	Nanette Schutte	6	1	2

Seventh qualifier

	First round							Second round							Qualifying competition
	7	Mariëtte Pakker	65	0
		Cissie Donigan	77	6
									Cissie Donigan	3	7	1
									Jean Hepner	6	5	6
		Jean Hepner	6	0	6
		Caryn Copeland	2	6	1
																Jean Hepner	2	6	6
																Jodi Appelbaum-Steinbauer	6	3	4
		Stephanie Hales	1	0
		Jodi Appelbaum-Steinbauer	6	6
									Jodi Appelbaum-Steinbauer	6	6
									Genevieve Greiwe	2	2
		Genevieve Greiwe	7	6
	11	Catrin Jexell	5	3

Eighth qualifier

	First round							Second round							Qualifying competition
	13	Pam Whytcross	0	1
		Kate Gompert	6	6
									Kate Gompert	6	3	6
									Camille Benjamin	4	6	2
		Camille Benjamin	6	6
		Brenda Perry	2	2
																Kate Gompert	6	6
																Gretchen Rush	4	2
		Angela Walker	4	4
		Kathy O'Brien	6	6
									Kathy O'Brien	3	2
									Gretchen Rush	6	6
		Gretchen Rush	6	6
	2	Linda Cassell	2	1

References

External links

• 1981 US Open – Women's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation