PARIS — Adolfo Daniel Vallejo faces a hefty fine for his controversial “sexist remarks” made during the French Open, questioning the appointment of a female umpire for his second-round match.
Vallejo’s gripping five-set encounter against French prodigy Moise Kouame on Thursday concluded after nearly five hours on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
“A match of this intensity requires a male umpire,” Vallejo stated in an interview with Clay magazine following his loss, which ended with scores of 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8). “It’s challenging for a woman to handle it.”
The French Tennis Federation and organizers of Roland Garros labeled his comments as “unacceptable” in their response on Friday.
“An umpire’s competence is measured by professionalism and skill, not by gender,” they emphasized in a statement. “No outcome of a match can excuse such statements. A significant penalty will be imposed on Adolfo Vallejo in the form of a fine.”
While the exact amount of the fine has not been disclosed, it’s worth noting that players reaching the second round typically earn 130,000 euros (C$209,000).
Kouame had his back against the wall, trailing 5-3 in the fifth set and down 8-7 in the tiebreaker. The crowd, enthusiastic and loud, prompted Vallejo, who hails from Paraguay, to comment that the umpire, Ana Carvalho from Brazil, struggled to maintain order among the spectators.
“It needs a male referee to manage such a demanding crowd; it requires considerable strength to withstand the atmosphere,” he remarked. “The audience was quite unruly, and while I understand their support for their fellow countryman, it was an intense experience. Surprisingly, it didn’t negatively affect me—in fact, it seemed to bolster Kouame.”
Vallejo also accused Kouame of stalling during the match, claiming, “There were instances when he was lying on the ground or delaying play.”
“It’s unusual for the crowd to be shouting for an entire minute without any action. In a physical match, if you allow a player too much time, they will capitalize on it. Managing that environment is a tough job for any referee.”
Roland Garros organizers reiterated their condemnation of “all forms of sexist remarks, regardless of the source,” and extended their support to the match umpire and all officials involved in the tournament.
