A shocking moment at the US Open has triggered widespread outrage after a grown man was caught on camera taking a signed cap intended for a young fan. The incident unfolded as Polish tennis player Kamil Majchrzak celebrated his thrilling five-set win over ninth seed Karen Khachanov.
After the win, Majchrzak was signing autographs for fans when he removed his hat and tried to hand it to a boy in the stands. But before the child could grab it, a man standing nearby snatched the souvenir and stashed it in his wife’s bag — ignoring the boy’s protest of, “What are you doing?”
Hat-snatcher identified as Polish millionaire
The man has since been identified as Piotr Szczerek, a Polish businessman and CEO of paving company Drogbruk.
Tennis pro Kamil Majchrzak, speaking to The New York Post, confirmed Szczerek’s identity and noted that he sponsors Poland’s tennis federation.
“Obviously it was some kind of confusion,” the 29-year-old player said. “I was pointing, giving the hat, but I had a lot going on after my match, after being super tired and super excited for the win. I just missed it. I had like a dead look if you know what I mean. I’m sure the guy was also acting in the moment of heat, in the moment of emotions.”
Outrage on and off the court
Footage of the incident quickly spread online, showing the devastated boy as Szczerek placed the hat in his wife’s bag before demanding another autograph from the tennis star. Majchrzak later admitted he had not realised what had happened until the following day, writing on Instagram: “After the match I didn’t record that my cap didn’t get to the boy.”
Backlash in Poland
{{/usCountry}}Footage of the incident quickly spread online, showing the devastated boy as Szczerek placed the hat in his wife’s bag before demanding another autograph from the tennis star. Majchrzak later admitted he had not realised what had happened until the following day, writing on Instagram: “After the match I didn’t record that my cap didn’t get to the boy.”
Backlash in Poland
{{/usCountry}}The fallout for Szczerek has been severe. According to Spanish outlet MARCA, he deactivated his social media accounts after the clip went viral. On a Polish job search site, users slammed him as a “sack of garbage,” “common thief,” “primitive scammer,” and “shameful jerk.”