It’s not every day that a nine-year-old tennis fan gets robbed at courtside, but that’s exactly what happened at the US Open when a businessman channelled his inner cat burglar and swiped Kamil Majchrzak’s hat right out of a young boy’s dreams.
The crime was caught on broadcast cameras, which showed Piotr Szczerek calmly plucking the cap from Majchrzak’s hand, stuffing it into his wife’s handbag, and strolling off as if he’d just scored centre-court tickets, not a child’s cherished souvenir.
The boy, meanwhile, clutched his oversized tennis ball, looking as though someone had just double-faulted his childhood.
The internet, of course, responded the way it always does: by firing up the outrage machine. Szczerek was swiftly identified as the CEO of a Polish paving company, then named and turned into a viral villain – earning him the kind of global notoriety usually reserved for Bond villains or people who talk loudly on speakerphone in restaurants.
Realising he had lost not only a hat but also his reputation, Szczerek issued a long apology on Facebook (see below), insisting it was all a misunderstanding. He claimed he thought Majchrzak was giving him the cap for his sons, who had earlier requested an autograph. Apparently, in the heat of the moment, he confused “gift for small child directly in front of me” with “grown man intercepting like a cornerback”.
In the wake of the internet’s furious reaction, Majchrzak then swooped in like a knight in shining polyester, making it up to the boy with a fresh hat, photos and more gifts – cementing himself as the true hero of the tale.
Szczerek, on the other hand, has learned the hard way that while paving roads may be his specialty, paving over a PR disaster is far trickier.
As for the boy? He now has not one, but two hats, a viral claim to fame, and the knowledge that sometimes in tennis – like in life – you can lose the point but still win the set.
Piotr Szczerek’s full apology:
“In connection with the incident that occurred during Kamill Majchrzak’s match at the US Open, I would like to unequivocally apologise to the young boy, his family, all the fans, and the player himself.
“I take full responsibility for my extremely poor judgment and hurtful actions. It was never my intent to steal away a prized memento from the young fan. I became caught up in the heat of the moment and the joy of the victory, and I believed Majchrzak was handing a hat to me to give to my sons, who had previously asked for autographs.
“Regardless of what I believed was happening, the actions I took hurt the young boy and disappointed the fans. I have sent the hat back to the boy and extended my sincere apologies to his family. I hope, at least to a small extent, I was able to repair the harm I caused. I also want to state clearly: neither I nor my wife nor my sons commented on this situation on social media or on any other platform. We did not hire any law firm regarding this matter. All statements appearing online accredited to us were false and were not authored by us or our representatives.
“For years, my wife and I have been involved in supporting children and young athletes, but this incident has shown me that a moment of inattention can undo years of work and support. It is a painful but necessary lesson in humility. Going forward, I will engage even more actively in initiatives that support children and youth, and I will take actions against violence and hate. I believe that only through actions can I rebuild the trust I have lost. Once again, I apologise to everyone I let down.
“Please understand — for the sake of my family, I have decided to disable the ability to comment on this post. Sincerely, Piotr Szczerek.”
Images: X / Instagram
