The Polish CEO who went viral after essentially snatching a tennis pro’s hat away from a child at the U.S. Open seems to be offering up an apology … according to multiple reports.
A statement apparently from Piotr Szczerek — head of the DROG-BRUK stone paving company in Poland — is going around online … and, in it, the CEO says he wants to “unequivocally apologize” to the kid and his family.
❗️PILNE❗️#USOpen
Majchrzak po wygranym meczu rozdawał autografy i jak to zwykle bywa ręczniki, piłki oraz swoją czapkę. Dał czapkę dziecku a jakiś Buc zabrał ją praktycznie z ręki 😡 pic.twitter.com/h6IZRemALA— Koneser Unii Europejskiej (@KoneserUnii) August 29, 2025
@KoneserUnii
Szczerek says he takes responsibility for his “poor judgment and hurtful actions” … adding he never intended to steal Kamil Majchrzak’s hat away from a young fan.
When Kamil handed the hat up, Piotr says, he “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.”
He says he knows he hurt the boy and many fans … and, for that, he’s truly sorry.
Szczerek says he sent the hat back to the young man and apologized profusely … which he hopes will undo at least some of the harm he inadvertently caused.
Piotr goes on to say, “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.”
ICYMI … video went viral last week showing the Polish tennis star seemingly trying to hand his hat to a kid — when a man grabbed the hat and handed it to his wife.
Outrage online came swiftly … and Kamil actually went on social media to try and find the kid. They met shortly after the incident — a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Sounds like this might be a case of a real miscommunication … one which Piotr and his family may never live down.
