'I Apologise To Everyone I Let Down': CEO Szczerek Apologises For Snatching Tennis Player Majchrzak's Hat From Young Fan

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A video showing Piotr Szczerek, CEO of Polish paving company Drogbruk, taking tennis player Kamil Majchrzak's hat from a young fan at the US Open went viral over the weekend. The incident occurred after Majchrzak's singles match against Karen Khachanov, capturing Szczerek grabbing the hat from a boy in the stands.

On Monday, Szczerek posted a detailed apology on Facebook, saying he made a mistake thinking the hat was being given to him for his sons, who had previously asked for autographs.

He wrote: "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... I have sent the hat back to the boy and extended my sincere apologies to his family."

Szczerek emphasised that neither he nor his family had commented online or hired legal counsel regarding the incident. He described it as“a painful but necessary lesson in humility” and pledged to engage more in initiatives supporting children and youth.
"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 apologize to everyone I let down."

Majchrzak reunites with young fan

Majchrzak, 29, also from Poland, reached out to the boy's family and met with him to give him a new hat and take photos. A video posted to Majchrzak's Instagram Stories shows the boy, named Brock, smiling and proudly wearing the hat while interacting with his family.

The tennis star wrote on Instagram: "Today after warm up I had a nice meeting. Do you recognize?" accompanied by a hat emoji.

Majchrzak later shared a photo with Brock, captioning it: "Hello World, Together with Brock we wish you a great day!"

Incident sparks discussion

The incident has prompted widespread discussion on social media about fan interactions and personal conduct, highlighting the importance of accountability even in high-pressure, celebratory moments at sporting events.

MENAFN01092025007365015876ID1110002955