The 1881, men's tennis season was composed of the sixth annual pre-open era tour, which now incorporates 73 tournaments staged in Australia, Canada, Great Britain and Ireland, and the United States. The 1881 Wimbledon Championships was won by William Renshaw. This year also saw the inaugural and important 1881 U.S. National Championships held at Newport Casino which Richard Sears won. This was also the year that the United States National Lawn Tennis Association, which is the world's first national tennis association, was founded. Renshaw then went on to win two other big tournaments of the year, namely, the Irish Lawn Tennis Championships and Princes Club Championships, whilst Richard Taswell Richardson won the prestigious Northern Championships.
The Essex Championships also known as the Essex County Lawn Tennis Championships or Essex Grass Court Championships was a combined men's and women's grass court tennis tournament established in 1881 at Brentwood, Essex. In 1946 it was moved to the Frinton Lawn Tennis Club, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, Great Britain until 1983 when it was discontinued.
The Warwickshire Championships, also known as the Warwickshire County Championships, was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament held at Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England. It was founded on 1 August 1882 and held until 1931 as part of the pre-open era tennis tour. As of 2023, the tournament is staged as a local county championship.
The Exmouth Open, originally called the Exmouth Lawn Tennis Club Tournament or simply Exmouth Tournament, was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1880. From 1890 the event was known as the Exmouth Open Tennis Tournament. It was hosted by the Exmouth Archery, Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club, Exmouth, Devon, Great Britain until 1927. It was then hosted by the newly founded Exmouth Lawn Tennis Club until it was abolished as a senior tour event in 1975.
The St George's Hill Open tournament was founded as the St George's Hill Tournament a men's grass court tennis tournament staged at St Georges Hill Weybridge, Surrey, England in 1881, that ran until 1883, and was not held again. In 1913 the St Georges Hill Lawn Tennis Club was established. In 1922 St Georges Hill LTC started a combined men's and women's tournament the St George's Hill Open this ran as a senior tennis tour event until 1966.
The Penzance Open tournament was originally called the Penzance LTC Tournament as a combined grass court tennis tournament staged at by the Penzance LTC,Penzance, Cornwall, England in 1881, that ran until 1887.
The Norwich Open was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament first founded in 1881 as the Norwich Open Lawn Tennis Tournament. The original tournament was played on grass courts laid out on the bowling green at Chapelfield Gardens in Norwich, Norfolk, England. That tournament ran annually until 1930 before it was ended. In 1972 a second Norwich Open was revived that was held at the Anglia Lawn Tennis Center, Norwich, and was played on clay courts. That tournament continued to 1982 before it was abolished.
The North Northamptonshire LTC Tournament. also known simply as the North Northamptonshire LTC was a brief Victorian era men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1880. It was organised by the North Northamptonshire Lawn Tennis Club who held the event at different locations in North Northamptonshire, England. The tournament ran annually for four editions only until 1883.
The Darlington Open. also known as the Darlington Association Tournament was a late Victorian era men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1881. It was organised by the Darlington Outdoor's Sports Association and held at the Feethams Cricket Ground Darlington, County Durham, England. The tournament ran annually until 1933.
The Leamington Open Tournament, also known as the Leamington Lawn Tennis Club Tournament, was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament held at Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England from 1882 to 1931 as part of the pre-open era tennis tour. It was founded on 1 August 1882 as the Royal Leamington Lawn Tennis Tournament.
The Liverpool Cricket Club Lawn Tennis Tournament. was an early Victorian era men's grass court tennis tournament first staged in June 1881 at the Liverpool Cricket Club, Aigburth Cricket Ground, Liverpool, Lancashire, England. The inaugural men's singles event was won by Richard Taswell Richardson a two time Wimbledon finalist. It was staged only three times until 1883.
The Victoria Park Lawn Tennis Tournament also called the Victoria Park LTC Tournament was an early Victorian era men's and women's grass court tennis tournament first staged in June 1881 at the Victoria Park Lawn Tennis Club, Exeter, Devon, England. It was staged five times until 1885.
The Edgbaston Open Tournament was an early Victorian era men's and women's grass court tennis tournament first staged in June 1881, at the Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, Edgbaston, Warwickshire, England. This distinct tournament ran until 1908.
The Alliance LTC Championship was a late Victorian period men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1881. It was organised by the Alliance Lawn Tennis Club and held at Crouch End Hill, Crouch End, London, England. The championship was staged for three editions only until 1885.
The Cirencester Park Lawn Tennis Tournament was a late Victorian era and early Edwardian era combined men's and women' grass court tennis event founded in 1881. It was held at Cirencester Park on the Bathurst Estate, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England, through until 1906.
The Gore Court Championships was a men's and women's grass court tennis event established in 1877 that ran until at least 1926. The tournament was organised by the Sittingbourne and Gore Court Archery and Lawn Tennis Club, and held at Gore Court a sports ground in Sittingbourne, Kent, England.
The Armagh Championship Tournament or Armagh ALTC Championship was a combined men's and women's Hard court tennis tournament staged first staged on 28 September 1878 as the Armagh Lawn Tennis Tournament at the Archery and Lawn Tennis Club, Armagh, Northern Ireland. The championship was staged up to at least 1934.
The Bedford Open also known as the Bedford Lawn Tennis Open Tournament was men's and women's grass court tennis tournament established in 1880 as the Bedfordshire LTC Tournament. It was held at the Bedford Lawn Tennis Club, Bedford, Berkshire, England and ran through until 1974 when it was abolished.
The Rochford Hundred Club Lawn Tennis Tournament was a late Victorian era men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1881. It was organised by the Rochford Hundred Club, and played at the Rochford Hundred Cricket Club grounds, Rochford, Essex, England. Later editions were played at Southend Park, Southend-on-Sea, Essex. The tournament ran till 1886.
The 1881 Women's tennis season was a tennis circuit composed of 39 national, regional, county, and regular tournaments. The season began in April in Cheltenham, England, and ended in October in Queen's Park, Brighton, England.
G. G. Dineley
Gerald Sherwell 
Basil Henty