The US Open has been rife with storylines this year, and one in particular that's been making a lot of headlines involves a Polish businessman who swiped a hat from a child.
On Thursday (August 28), Polish tennis star Kamil Majchrzak greeted fans and signed autographs after defeating the No. 9 seed Karen Khachanov. When Majchrazk removed his hat to hand it to a young boy in the stands, a man standing next to the child grabbed the hat and stuffed it into a nearby woman’s bag.
After it was confirmed the man in question was Polish businessman Piotr Szczerek, the CEO of paving company Drogbruk, the millionaire faced a sea of backlash.
Szczerek has now issued an apology, explaining that he made a "grave mistake" and thought the tennis star was giving him the hat after his sons had asked for autographs earlier in the day.
"I would like to offer my sincere apology to the injured boy, his family, all the fans, and the player himself," Szczerek said in a Facebook post (translated from Polish). "I made a grave mistake. In the midst of the excitement and celebration after my victory, I was convinced the tennis player was handing his cap to me — for my sons, who had previously asked for autographs. This mistaken belief caused me to instinctively reach out."
He continued: "Today, I know that I did something that seemed like deliberately taking a souvenir from a child. It wasn't my intention, but that doesn't change the fact that I hurt the boy and disappointed the fans. The cap was given to the boy, and an apology to the family. I hope that I have at least partially repaired the harm caused."
Reports following the original news claimed that Szczerek initially defended his actions, allegedly stating: "The recent incident at the tennis match has caused a disproportionate online uproar. It’s all about the famous hat, of course. Yes, I took it. Yes, I did it quickly. But as I’ve always said, life is first come, first served. In the end, chin up, hats off, less venom, more sportsmanship."
However, in Szczerek's latest Facebook statement, he claimed these reports are not true.
"I also want to make it clear: neither I, my wife, nor my sons commented on this situation on social media or on any website," he wrote. "We did not use the services of any law firm in this regard. All alleged statements appearing online are not ours."
He added that he and his wife have been "involved in helping children and young athletes" for years but that the US Open incident has shown him "that one moment of inattention can undo years of work and support."
"This is a painful but necessary lesson in humility," he said. "Therefore, I will be even more actively involved in initiatives supporting children and young people and in actions against violence and hate. I believe that only through actions can I rebuild lost trust. I apologize again to everyone I have disappointed."
After the hat-snatching incident, tennis star Majchrazk sought out the child to make things right.
In an Instagram post, Majchrzak shared a clip of himself talking with the boy, along with a photo of them standing side-by-side. "Hello World, Together with Brock we wish you a great day!" the tennis star wrote.
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