1961 Australian Championships – Women's Singles

First-seeded Margaret Smith defeated Jan Lehane 6–1, 6–4 in the final to win the Women's Singles tennis title at the 1961 Australian Championships.

Women's Singles
1961 Australian Championships
Champion	Margaret Smith
Runner-up	Jan Lehane
Final score	6–1, 6–4
Draw	44
Seeds	8

Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Margaret Court is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.

1. Margaret Smith (Champion)
2. Jan Lehane (Finalist)
3. Lesley Turner (Third round)
4. Mary Carter Reitano (Semifinalist)
5. Mary Bevis Hawton (Quarterfinalist)
6. Maureen Pratt (Third round)
7. Lorraine Coghlan (Quarterfinalist)
8. Beverley Rae (Third round)

Draw

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild Card
• LL = Lucky Loser–
• r. = retired

Finals

	Quarterfinals							Semifinals							Finals
	1	Margaret Smith	6	6
		Kaye Dening	4	3
								1	Margaret Smith	6	6
									Robyn Ebbern	2	0
		Val Wicks	4	2
		Robyn Ebbern	6	6
															1	Margaret Smith	6	6
															2	Jan Lehane	1	4
	5	Mary Bevis Hawton	4	2
	4	Mary Carter Reitano	6	6
								4	Mary Carter Reitano	3	6	1
								2	Jan Lehane	6	4	6
	7	Lorraine Coghlan	2	2
	2	Jan Lehane	6	6

Earlier rounds

Section 1

	First Round							Second Round							Third Round							Quarterfinals
								1	Smith	6	6
									McLean	0	0
															1	Smith	6	6
																Whitely	4	2
									Astley	8	0	0
									Whitely	6	6	6
																						1	Smith	6	6
																							Dening	4	3
								8	Rae	7	6
									Toyne	5	2
															8	Rae	2	6	1
																Dening	6	3	6
									Hall Hopman	1	1
									Dening	6	6

Section 2

	First Round							Second Round							Third Round							Quarterfinals
								3	L Turner	6	6
									Robinson	2	3
															3	L Turner	w/o
		Wicks	6	6												Wicks
		Paterson	0	1					Wicks	6	1	8
		Rayson	6	1	6				Rayson	3	6	6
		McKee	2	6	2																		Wicks	4	2
	6	Pratt	6	6																			Ebbern	6	6
		Gibson	0	2				6	Pratt	6	6
		Ross	6	6					Ross	4	3
		Craig	4	2											6	Pratt	6	4	4
		N Turner	6	6												Ebbern	3	6	6
		McArthur	0	2					N Turner	0	4
		Ebbern	6	6					Ebbern	6	6
		Cox	2	1

Section 3

	First Round							Second Round							Third Round							Quarterfinals
		Southam	6	4	6
		Plaisted	2	6	4				Southam	4	4
		Robberds	6	6					Robberds	6	6
		Hicks	1	2												Robberds	6	1	1
		Schacht	6	6											5	Bevis Hawton	4	6	6
		Slattery	1	0					Schacht	2	3
	5	Bevis Hawton	6	6				5	Bevis Hawton	6	6
		Buck	1	2																		5	Bevis Hawton	4	2
		Thiele	6	6																		4	Carter Reitano	6	6
		Ockerby	3	1					Thiele	4	6
		Blackman	6	6					Blackman	6	8
		Duldig	2	4												Blackman	6	3	6
															4	Carter Reitano	4	6	8
									Lesh	4	2
								4	Carter Reitano	6	6

Section 4

	First Round							Second Round							Third Round							Quarterfinals
									Tegart	6	6
									Gugeri	0	2
																Tegart	4	8	4
															7	Coghlan	6	6	6
									Toohey	1	3
								7	Coghlan	6	6
																						7	Coghlan	6	6
																						2	Lehane	2	2
									Shipton	4	6	6
									Harris	6	1	4
																Shipton	2	1
															2	Lehane	6	6
									Marie Burke	0	0
								2	Lehane	6	6

External links

• 1961 Australian Championships on ITFtennis.com, the source for this draw

Preceded by 1960 U.S. National Championships – Women's Singles	Grand Slam women's singles	Succeeded by 1961 French Championships – Women's Singles