Tennis player Adolfo Daniel Vallejo recently expressed dissatisfaction with the officiating of his French Open match against 17-year-old Moïse Kouame. He suggested the match should have been umpired by a man, claiming that women find it challenging to manage a demanding crowd. Vallejo’s remarks followed his defeat, having recovered from a two-set deficit to force a fifth set, only to lose 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6(8).
The match, which took place at Court Suzanne-Lenglen, featured a highly supportive crowd for the French player. Vallejo, a 22-year-old Paraguayan, criticized the official, Ana Carvalho, alleging she failed to control Kouame’s “lying on the floor and stalling” tactics during the match. Vallejo told Clay magazine, “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.”
Vallejo acknowledged the intensity of the French crowd, saying he was prepared for their vocal support of Kouame. He expressed frustration with what he perceived as unnecessary delays by his opponent.
In response to Vallejo’s comments, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) and tournament organizers issued a statement labeling his remarks as “unacceptable” and announced that Vallejo would face a fine. They emphasized, “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.”
The Roland-Garros tournament condemned all sexist remarks and reaffirmed support for all its umpiring officials, extending backing to Ana Carvalho specifically.
Vallejo participated in the French Open after reaching the round of 32 at the Madrid Open, but was eliminated during the qualifying round of the Italian Open. He is currently ranked 71st in ATP singles.
The match against Kouame was the longest of his senior tennis career, lasting four hours and 56 minutes, watched by a crowd of 10,000. Kouame will next face Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, ranked No. 36, in the third round.