PARIS (AP) \u2014 Adolfo Daniel Vallejo will receive a significant fine for his \u201csexist remarks\u201d at the French Open after he said his second-round match should not have been umpired by a woman.<\/p>\n
Vallejo lost to French teenager Moise Kouame on Thursday after a tense five-set battle that lasted nearly five hours on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis sort of match needs to be umpired by a man,\u201d Vallejo told Clay magazine after his 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8) loss. \u201cIt\u2019s very difficult for a woman to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
His comments were \u201cunacceptable,\u201d the French Tennis Federation and Roland Garros organizers said on Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe competence of an umpire is not determined by their gender but by their professionalism and ability to officiate at the highest level,\u201d they added in a statement. \u201cThe outcome of a sporting event, whether positive or negative, can never justify or excuse such remarks. The tournament organizers will impose a significant sanction on Adolfo Vallejo in the form of a fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Organizers did not say how much the fine would be, but players reaching the second round at the French Open receive 130,000 euros ($151,000).<\/p>\n
Kouame was 5-3 down in the fifth set and 8-7 down in the tiebreaker. The French crowd was boisterous and Vallejo, from Paraguay, said the umpire, Ana Carvalho from Brazil, did not control the spectators.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has to be refereed by a man, because it\u2019s a very demanding crowd and you need a lot of strength to go against the crowd,\u201d he said. \u201cThe crowd was very out of line, but I understand they\u2019re supporting their compatriot. It\u2019s quite an intense crowd and that\u2019s why I was prepared; I already knew it would be like that and, to be honest, it didn\u2019t harm me, but rather strengthened him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vallejo added that Kouame \u201ctook up a lot of time on many occasions, lying on the floor or stalling.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd it\u2019s 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\u2019s obviously going to take advantage of it. The truth is it\u2019s also difficult for a referee to manage this situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roland Garros organizers said they condemn \u201call sexist remarks, regardless of who makes them\u201d and offered their support to the match umpire \u201cand, more broadly, to all the tournament\u2019s umpiring officials.\u201d<\/p>\n
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AP sports writer Jerome Pugmire contributed.<\/p>\n
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