Adolfo Daniel Vallejo was fined $65,000 for making sexist remarks about female umpire Ana Carvalho following his second-round defeat at the 2026 French Open [1, 2]. Vallejo criticized Carvalho, saying the match should have been officiated by a man because "it's a very demanding crowd and you need a lot of strength to go against the crowd" [2]. He added the crowd "was very out of line" but said he understood their behavior as they supported the home player [2].
Vallejo lost the match to French teenager Moise Kouame in five sets during the tournament held in June 2026 [2]. He apologized on social media for the comments, saying, "I have respect for the umpires and for the job they do, after a five-hour battle I was very heated and felt a lot of emotions" [1].
Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo called Vallejo's remarks "unacceptable" and said "such remarks have no place here" [2]. She noted the fine was "roughly half of his prize money," underscoring the tournament's stance that "words like this should not be added in this arena" [1]. Players eliminated in the second round of men’s singles typically receive around 130,000 euros (approximately $151,000) in prize money [1].
The French Open fine of $65,000 falls within the Grand Slam rulebook limits, which allow for penalties up to $100,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct [1]. The fine was announced a few days after Vallejo’s controversial comments, which immediately drew criticism [1, 2]. Vallejo’s public apology followed shortly after the penalty was imposed [1].
