French Open organizers have announced plans to sanction Paraguayan tennis player Adolfo Daniel Vallejo after he made controversial comments suggesting that women are not suited to officiate high-pressure matches.
The backlash followed Vallejo’s dramatic second-round defeat to French teenager Moise Kouame on Court Suzanne-Lenglen in Paris. The five-set encounter lasted nearly five hours and ended in a tense deciding tiebreak.
Speaking after the match, Vallejo criticised the officiating and argued that the atmosphere required a male umpire.
“This sort of match needs to be umpired by a man. It’s very difficult for a woman to do it,” Vallejo said in comments published by Clay magazine.
The match was officiated by Brazilian umpire Ana Carvalho, whom Vallejo accused of struggling to control the energetic French crowd that strongly backed Kouame throughout the contest.
Vallejo claimed the crowd repeatedly disrupted play and alleged that his opponent benefited from extended stoppages during the physically demanding encounter.
“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 said.
He added:
“The crowd was very out of line, but I understand they’re supporting their compatriot.”
Tournament organisers swiftly condemned the remarks, describing them as discriminatory and unacceptable.
In a strongly worded statement released Friday, the French Tennis Federation and Roland Garros officials said:
“The competence of an umpire is not determined by their gender but by their professionalism and ability to officiate at the highest level.”
The organisers stressed that frustration over a match result could never justify sexist comments and confirmed that Vallejo would face a “significant sanction” in the form of a financial penalty.
Although officials did not disclose the exact amount of the fine, players who reach the second round of the tournament reportedly earn around 130,000 euros in prize money.
The incident has sparked wider debate within the tennis community about respect for officials and gender equality in professional sports. Many observers noted that female umpires have officiated some of the biggest matches in tennis history, including Grand Slam finals and major international tournaments.
Meanwhile, Kouame’s comeback victory continued to attract attention after the teenager recovered from 5-3 down in the deciding set and saved elimination while trailing 8-7 in the final-set tiebreak.
Roland Garros organisers reiterated their support for Ana Carvalho and all tournament officials, stating that sexist remarks have no place in tennis or any professional sporting environment.