1981 Australian Open – Women's doubles

Women's doubles
1981 Australian Open
Champions	Kathy Jordan Anne Smith
Runners-up	Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver
Score	6–2, 7–5
Draw	32
Seeds	8

Kathy Jordan and Anne Smith defeated the defending champion Martina Navratilova and her partner Pam Shriver in the final, 6–2, 7–5 to win the women's doubles tennis title at the 1981 Australian Open.

Betsy Nagelsen and Navratilova were the defending champions, but they competed with different partners that year, Nagelsen with Candy Reynolds and Navratilova with Shriver. Nagelsen and Reynolds lost in the first round to Chris Newton and Brenda Remilton.

Champion seeds are indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which those seeds were eliminated.

	Final
	1	Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver	2	5
	2	Kathy Jordan Anne Smith	6	7

	First round							Second round							Quarterfinals							Semifinals
	1	M Navratilova P Shriver	6	6
		M Blackwood S Leo	3	3				1	M Navratilova P Shriver	6	6
		L Allen M Jaušovec	2	1					S Acker P Smith	4	2
		S Acker P Smith	6	6											1	M Navratilova P Shriver	6	6
		S Amiach C Vanier	0	1												D Fromholtz P Teeguarden	3	3
		D Fromholtz P Teeguarden	6	6					D Fromholtz P Teeguarden	7	6
		C Newton B Remilton	6	6					C Newton B Remilton	6	4
	7	B Nagelsen C Reynolds	0	2																		1	M Navratilova P Shriver	6	6
	4	S Barker A Kiyomura	6	4	6																	4	S Barker A Kiyomura	3	4
		M-L Piatek A White	4	6	3			4	S Barker A Kiyomura	6	6	6
		J Durie A Hobbs	6	5	7				J Durie A Hobbs	7	4	4
		E Little S Saliba	2	7	5										4	S Barker A Kiyomura	6	6
		R Blount I Villiger	66	3												E Goolagong Cawley B Stöve	4	1
		L Cassell K Pratt	78	6					L Cassell K Pratt	4	3
		E Goolagong Cawley B Stöve	6	6					E Goolagong Cawley B Stöve	6	6
	6	R Fairbank T Harford	1	1

	First round							Second round							Quarterfinals							Semifinals
	5	B Potter S Walsh	6	6
		C Baily N Gregory	1	4				5	B Potter S Walsh	6	4	6
		B Bunge C Kohde	3	6	65				B Gadusek J Preyer	2	6	4
		B Gadusek J Preyer	6	3	77										5	B Potter S Walsh	6	6	1
		E Sayers A Tobin	6	6											3	R Casals W Turnbull	4	7	6
		D Desfor B Hallquist	3	4					E Sayers A Tobin	4	3
		M Pinterová N Sato	6	5	1			3	R Casals W Turnbull	6	6
	3	R Casals W Turnbull	4	7	6																	3	R Casals W Turnbull	4	7	4
	8	A Jaeger H Mandlíková	6	4	6																	2	K Jordan A Smith	6	5	6
		M Mesker K Skronská	1	6	3			8	A Jaeger H Mandlíková	6	5	5
		H Suková R Tomanová	6	4	6				H Suková R Tomanová	4	7	7
		D Freeman P Whytcross	4	6	4											H Suková R Tomanová	6	1
		E Pfaff C Tanvier	2	4											2	K Jordan A Smith	7	6
		C O'Neil M Wikstedt	6	6					C O'Neil M Wikstedt	2	3
		B Catton K Gulley	1	1				2	K Jordan A Smith	6	6
	2	K Jordan A Smith	6	6

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