Adolfo Daniel Vallejo was fined US$65,000 ($110,000) at the French Open after he said his second-round match should not have been umpired by a woman, organisers announced on Tuesday (NZT).
Vallejo lost to French teenager Moise Kouame last week after a tense five-set battle that lasted nearly five hours. He later told the tennis website Clay that "this sort of match needs to be umpired by a man.”
Following his 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8) loss, Vallejo added: “It’s very difficult for a woman to do it.”
Players reaching the second round at the French Open receive 130,000 euros ($151,000). Roland Garros director Amelie Mauresmo told reporters at the French Open that “a 65,000 euros” fine was handed down to the player, “representing roughly half of his prize money.” Organisers later clarified that the fine was in US dollars, not euros.
“This is clearly unacceptable,” Mauresmo said. “Once again, such remarks have no place here.”
