French Open fines Adolfo Daniel Vallejo €65,000 for sexist remarks about umpire Ana Carvalho
Paraguayan tennis player Adolfo Daniel Vallejo has been fined €65,000 — roughly half his Roland Garros prize money — after saying his second-round match should have been umpired by a man.
The controversial remarks
Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, the 22-year-old world number 71 from Paraguay, sparked outrage after his gruelling second-round defeat at the French Open. Following a nearly five-hour, five-set battle against French teenager Moïse Kouame, Vallejo told tennis website Clay that "this sort of match needs to be umpired by a man" and that "it's very difficult for a woman to do it." The match, which ended 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8) in Kouame's favour, was officiated by Brazilian chair umpire Ana Carvalho.
This sort of match needs to be umpired by a man, it's very difficult for a woman to do it.
Vallejo elaborated on his comments, arguing that the raucous home crowd on Court Suzanne Lenglen required a male official's authority. "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 stated. He acknowledged the partisan atmosphere, saying, "The crowd was very out of line, but I understand they're supporting their compatriot."
The tournament's response
Roland Garros director Amélie Mauresmo announced the sanction on Monday, confirming a fine of €65,000 — approximately half of the €130,000 prize money awarded to players reaching the second round. The tournament had previously condemned the remarks as "unacceptable" and promised a "significant sanction."
This is clearly unacceptable. Once again, such remarks have no place here.
The French Tennis Federation and Roland Garros organisers issued a strong statement asserting that "the competence of an umpire is not determined by their gender but by their professionalism and ability to officiate at the highest level." They added that "the outcome of a sporting event, whether positive or negative, can never justify or excuse such remarks."
Vallejo's complaints about the match
Beyond the gendered criticism of Carvalho, Vallejo voiced frustration with his opponent's pace of play. He accused Kouame of time-wasting, claiming the French player "took up a lot of time on many occasions, lying on the floor or stalling." Vallejo also criticised the crowd's behaviour, noting that "it's not normal for the crowd to be shouting for a full minute without any play." He suggested that in a physically demanding match, extended breaks unfairly benefited his opponent.
Apology and aftermath
Vallejo subsequently apologised for his comments on social media, writing on Instagram that he had been "very upset and emotionally agitated" after the loss. He claimed his words had been misinterpreted and clarified that he did not blame Carvalho for his defeat, stating she "showed a good performance throughout the match." The tournament, however, maintained its stance, with Mauresmo reiterating that sexist remarks have no place at Roland Garros or in tennis more broadly.
