1981 Australian Open
Date	21 December 1981 – 3 January 1982
Edition	70th
Category	Grand Slam (ITF)
Surface	Grass
Location	Melbourne, Australia
Venue	Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club
Champions
Men's singles
Johan Kriek
Women's singles
Martina Navratilova
Men's doubles
Mark Edmondson / Kim Warwick
Women's doubles
Kathy Jordan / Anne Smith
Boys' singles
Jörgen Windahl
Girls' singles
Anne Minter
← 1980 · Australian Open · 1982 →

The 1981 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on grass courts at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in Melbourne in Victoria in Australia. It was the 70th edition of the Australian Open and was held from 30 November through 6 December 1981 for the women and from 24 December 1981 through 3 January 1982 for the men.

Seniors

Men's singles

Johan Kriek defeated Steve Denton, 6–2, 7–6^(7–1), 6–7^(1–7), 6–4

• It was Kriek's 1st career Grand Slam singles title.

Women's singles

Martina Navratilova defeated Chris Evert, 6–7^(4–7), 6–4, 7–5

• It was Navratilova's 3rd career Grand Slam singles title and her 1st title at the Australian Open.

Men's doubles

Mark Edmondson / Kim Warwick defeated Hank Pfister / John Sadri 6–3, 6–7, 6–3

• It was Edmondson's 2nd career Grand Slam doubles title and his 2nd title at the Australian Open.

• It was Warwick's 3rd career Grand Slam doubles title and his 3rd and last title at the Australian Open.

Women's doubles

Kathy Jordan / Anne Smith defeated Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver 6–2, 7–5

• It was Jordan's 4th career Grand Slam doubles title and her 1st and only title at the Australian Open.

• It was Smith's 4th career Grand Slam doubles title and her 1st and only title at the Australian Open.

Mixed doubles

The competition was not held between 1970 and 1986.

Juniors

Boys' singles

Jörgen Windahl defeated Pat Cash 6–4, 6–4

Girls' singles

Anne Minter defeated Corinne Vanier 6–4, 6–2

Boys' doubles

David Lewis and Tony Withers won the title

Girls' doubles

Maree Booth and Sharon Hodgkin won the title