Adolfo Daniel Vallejo faced a $65,000 fine after the French Open organizers responded to his remarks about the umpire of his second-round match. Vallejo, who lost to French teenager Moise Kouame in a grueling five-set match, criticized the decision to have a female umpire for such a tense contest.
Vallejo expressed his views on the tennis website Clay, stating that matches with high stakes should be officiated by men. He believed it was challenging for a woman to handle the pressure of such matches. Vallejo’s loss came with scores of 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8).
Players advancing to the second round at the French Open earn 130,000 euros ($151,000). Roland Garros director Amelie Mauresmo clarified that the penalty represented about half of Vallejo’s prize money. She emphasized that his actions were ‘clearly unacceptable’ and reiterated that such comments are entirely inappropriate.
Vallejo, from Paraguay, criticized Brazilian umpire Ana Carvalho, arguing that she did not effectively manage the crowd. He expressed belief in the necessity of male referees, citing the demanding nature of some spectator groups.
He also claimed that Kouame slowed the game’s pace, using delays that affected the match’s rhythm. Vallejo acknowledged that managing a noisy crowd poses challenges for any referee, highlighting the complexity of the situation.