A Polish millionaire has been at the center of a social media firestorm after a viral video appears to show him snatching a tennis hat from a young boy at the US Open. The man, identified as Piotr Szczerek , owner of the paving company Drogbruk , allegedly took an autographed hat from a fan named Brock as it was being offered by Polish tennis star Kamil Majchrzak . The incident, which took place Thursday night (August 28) after Majchrzak’s victory over Karen Khachanov, was captured on a live broadcast and quickly went viral.
In the video, Szczerek is seen apparently placing the hat into his wife's bag, while the young boy, who had been standing next to him, looks on in dismay. The video sparked widespread outrage online, with many calling out Szczerek for his actions.
Since the incident, Szczerek's company has been "Google-bombed," with its rating plummeting to 2.7 stars from over 60 reviews, most of which are one-star ratings posted in the last 12 hours. Szczerek has also deactivated his social media accounts.
Majchrzak confirmed Szczerek’s identity, noting that the millionaire sponsors his tennis federation in Poland. The tennis pro described the incident as a "confusion" and a "dead look," stating that he was "super tired and super excited" after his win and may have missed what happened.
"I was pointing, giving the hat, but I had a lot going on after my match," Majchrzak told The Post. "I’m sure the guy was also acting in the moment of heat, in the moment of emotions."
Piotr Szczerek issues public apology
Piotr Szczerek has issued a public apology. In a post on Instagram, Szczerek wrote that he believed tennis star Kamil Majchrzak was signing the hat for him to give to his sons when he appeared to grab the cap from the little boy. “I would like to unequivocally apologize to the boy who was harmed, his family, as well as all the fans and the player himself,” Szczerek wrote. “I made a serious mistake. In the emotions, in the crowd’s joy after the victory, I was convinced that the tennis player was handing the cap in my direction — for my sons, who had earlier asked for autographs,” he added. “It is a painful but necessary lesson in humility for me,” he concluded.
In the video, Szczerek is seen apparently placing the hat into his wife's bag, while the young boy, who had been standing next to him, looks on in dismay. The video sparked widespread outrage online, with many calling out Szczerek for his actions.
Since the incident, Szczerek's company has been "Google-bombed," with its rating plummeting to 2.7 stars from over 60 reviews, most of which are one-star ratings posted in the last 12 hours. Szczerek has also deactivated his social media accounts.
Majchrzak confirmed Szczerek’s identity, noting that the millionaire sponsors his tennis federation in Poland. The tennis pro described the incident as a "confusion" and a "dead look," stating that he was "super tired and super excited" after his win and may have missed what happened.
"I was pointing, giving the hat, but I had a lot going on after my match," Majchrzak told The Post. "I’m sure the guy was also acting in the moment of heat, in the moment of emotions."
Piotr Szczerek issues public apology
Piotr Szczerek has issued a public apology. In a post on Instagram, Szczerek wrote that he believed tennis star Kamil Majchrzak was signing the hat for him to give to his sons when he appeared to grab the cap from the little boy. “I would like to unequivocally apologize to the boy who was harmed, his family, as well as all the fans and the player himself,” Szczerek wrote. “I made a serious mistake. In the emotions, in the crowd’s joy after the victory, I was convinced that the tennis player was handing the cap in my direction — for my sons, who had earlier asked for autographs,” he added. “It is a painful but necessary lesson in humility for me,” he concluded.
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