Vallejo Criticizes Female Umpire at French Open
Paraguayan tennis player Adolfo Daniel Vallejo has drawn attention after expressing criticism regarding the officiating of his second-round match at the French Open. Vallejo contended that the Brazilian chair umpire Ana Carvalho was not able to adequately manage the crowd during his match against French teenager Moïse Kouamé.
The match took place on Thursday on Court Suzanne Lenglen and became one of the tournament's most notable encounters. Seventeen-year-old Kouamé was supported vocally by the home crowd throughout the contest. The French player ultimately secured a victory with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8) after an intense battle lasting four hours and 56 minutes.
Vallejo expressed dissatisfaction with the amount of time Kouamé was permitted to take between points. He argued that Carvalho, despite her experience as an official, lacked the strength necessary to control the enthusiastic crowd.
Vallejo's Comments on Umpiring and Crowd Behavior
In an interview with Clay magazine, Vallejo stated:
“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.”
According to tennis regulations, players are allowed 25 seconds between points, with a countdown clock displayed on the scoreboard. However, umpires have discretion regarding when to start the countdown, particularly in noisy environments.
Vallejo further commented on the crowd's conduct and its impact on the match:
“The crowd was very out of line, but I understand they are supporting their compatriot. It’s quite an intense crowd and that’s why I was prepared. I already knew it would be like that and, to be honest, it didn’t harm me, but rather strengthened him.
“I think he took up a lot of time on many occasions, lying on the floor or stalling. And it’s not normal for the crowd to be shouting for a full minute without any play.
“In a match where the physical aspect matters so much, if you give a player a lot of time, he’s obviously going to take advantage of it.”
Vallejo’s remarks have sparked debate about the role of gender in officiating and the challenges of managing crowd behavior during high-stakes matches.
Official Response
As of now, tournament organizers have been contacted for comment regarding Vallejo’s statements and the overall management of the match.
