1981 World Table Tennis Championships – Women's singles
# 1981 World Table Tennis Championships – Women's singles

The 1981 World Table Tennis Championships women's singles was the 36th edition of the women's singles championship. Tong Ling defeated Cao Yanhua in the final by three sets to two, to win the title.

## Results

| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Zhang Deying | 21 | 21 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bettine Vriesekoop | 16 | 18 | 15 | | Zhang Deying | 21 | 21 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Pu Qijuan | 21 | 21 | 21 | | Pu Qijuan | 11 | 9 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ilona Uhlíková | 12 | 12 | 19 | | | | | | | | Zhang Deying | 15 | 14 | 13 | | | | | | |
| Pak Yung-sun | 22 | 21 | 8 | 21 | | | | | | | Tong Ling | 21 | 21 | 21 | | | | | | |
| Geng Lijuan | 20 | 11 | 21 | 15 | Pak Yung Sun | 21 | 22 | 12 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tong Ling | 21 | 21 | 21 | | Tong Ling | 19 | 24 | 21 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fliura Bulatova | 19 | 16 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | Tong Ling | 21 | 16 | 21 | 18 | 21 |
| Qi Baoxiang | 21 | 21 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | Cao Yanhua | 19 | 21 | 17 | 21 | 15 |
| Kayoko Kawahigashi | 6 | 7 | 8 | | Qi Baoxiang | 18 | 9 | 21 | 21 | 17 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Lee Soo-ja | 23 | 21 | 21 | | Lee Soo-ja | 21 | 21 | 10 | 19 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Li Song Suk | 21 | 17 | 10 | | | | | | | | Lee Soo Ja | 13 | 11 | 10 | | | | | | |
| Huang Junqun | 21 | 21 | 21 | | | | | | | | Cao Yanhua | 21 | 21 | 21 | | | | | | |
| Kim Kyung Ja | 11 | 11 | 8 | | Huang Junqun | 13 | 11 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cao Yanhua | 21 | 21 | 21 | | Cao Yanhua | 21 | 21 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Valentina Popova | 15 | 15 | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
