Controversy Arises After Vallejo’s Remarks on French Open Umpiring

Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, a tennis player from Paraguay, recently sparked controversy with his comments after a match at the French Open. Vallejo expressed dissatisfaction toward the officiating in his loss to 17-year-old Moïse Kouame. He suggested that women umpires find managing demanding crowds “very difficult.”

During the second-round match held on Thursday, Vallejo staged a comeback from two sets down against Kouame. However, he ultimately lost in the fifth set, with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6(8). The match unfolded amid a noisy environment at Court Suzanne-Lenglen, known for its enthusiastic support of French players.

Vallejo criticized the assignment of Ana Carvalho as the match umpire. He argued that she failed to manage Kouame’s alleged “stalling” tactics, noting it was the French teenager’s major tournament debut. Vallejo stated, “This sort of match needs to be umpired by a man. It’s very difficult for a woman to do it. It has to be refereed by a man, because it’s a very demanding crowd and you need a lot of strength to go against the crowd.”

He acknowledged the intensity of the French supporters, understanding their backing of a compatriot. “The crowd was very out of line, but I understand they’re supporting their compatriot,” Vallejo said. Despite being aware of the expected atmosphere, he reflected on the challenges it posed.

The French Tennis Federation (FFT) and tournament organizers responded on Friday with a statement labeling Vallejo’s comments as “unacceptable.” They announced that Vallejo would face a fine, stating, “The competence of an umpire is not determined by their gender, but by their professionalism and ability to officiate at the highest level. The outcome of a sporting event, whether positive or negative, can never justify or excuse such remarks.”

They added, “The Roland-Garros tournament strongly condemns all sexist remarks, regardless of who makes them, and offers its support to the match umpire and, more broadly, to all the tournament’s umpiring officials.”

Vallejo participated in the French Open after progressing to the round of 32 at the Madrid Open. He failed to advance in the qualifying rounds of the Italian Open. Currently, Vallejo is ranked 71 in the ATP singles rankings.

The match against Kouame was the longest in the teenager’s senior tennis career, lasting four hours and 56 minutes. It took place in front of an audience of 10,000, the largest Kouame has experienced. He is set to face Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, who is ranked No. 36, in the tournament’s third round.