Vallejo Fined for Remarks About Female Umpire at French Open

Adolfo Daniel Vallejo received a $65,000 fine following his controversial comments about a female umpire during the French Open. After a grueling second-round match against French teenager Moise Kouame, Vallejo expressed his belief that such matches should be officiated by men.

Vallejo, who lost in a five-set match lasting nearly five hours, stated in an interview with the tennis website Clay, “This sort of match needs to be umpired by a man.” He added, “It’s very difficult for a woman to do it.”

Reaching the second round earned players 130,000 euros ($151,000). Roland Garros director Amelie Mauresmo announced that Vallejo’s fine equated to roughly half of his prize money.

Mauresmo emphasized, “Such remarks have no place here.”

Vallejo, a Paraguayan player, criticized the umpire, Ana Carvalho from Brazil, for not managing the crowd effectively. He remarked, “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 also criticized his opponent, Kouame, for taking excessive time in various situations. Vallejo pointed out that these delays allowed his opponent to regain energy. He explained the difficulty for referees in managing such intense environments.