Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, a Paraguayan tennis player, has sparked controversy following his defeat against 17-year-old Moïse Kouame at the French Open. Vallejo claimed the match, marked by a demanding crowd, should have been overseen by a male umpire, as he believes women find it challenging under such circumstances.

Despite recovering from two sets down, Vallejo lost the fifth-set tiebreaker 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6(8) at Court Suzanne-Lenglen, known for its vocal support of French players. Vallejo criticized umpire Ana Carvalho, alleging she failed to manage Kouame’s actions, including stalling and lying on the court during his major tournament debut.

In an interview with Clay magazine, Vallejo remarked, “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 crowd’s intense support for their compatriot.

“The crowd was very out of line, but I understand they’re supporting their compatriot.”

The French Tennis Federation (FFT) and Roland-Garros organizers responded swiftly, issuing a statement labeling Vallejo’s comments as “unacceptable” and confirming a fine. They asserted that an umpire’s competence is based on professionalism, not gender, and condemned sexist remarks.

Vallejo had previously reached the round of 32 at the Madrid Open before losing in the Italian Open qualifying round. Ranked 71 in the ATP singles rankings, his opponent, Kouame, had the longest match of his senior career, lasting four hours and 56 minutes with 10,000 spectators. Kouame advances to face Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, ranked 36, in the third round.