Video from the U.S. Open showed a child waiting for a signature after a five-set match when Kamil Majchrzak removed his hat and appeared to hand it to the boy. An adult beside the child, later identified as Piotr Szczerek, seized the hat and walked away. The clip went viral and internet users identified Szczerek as the CEO of a Polish paving company. Szczerek posted an unequivocal Facebook apology, accepted responsibility, said he was caught up in the excitement and thought the hat was for his sons, and sent the hat back. The boy later met Majchrzak and received additional items.
"In connection with the incident that occurred during Kamil Majchrzak match at the US Open, I would like to unequivocally apologize to the young boy, his family, all the fans, and the player himself," the post begins. "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."
Szczerek wrote that he was "caught up in the heat of the moment and the joy of the victory" and during the excitement, he "believed Majchrzak was handing a hat to me to give to my sons, who had previously asked for autographs."
Szczerek says he sent the hat back to the boy and noted the fiasco is "a painful but necessary lesson in humility." After all the attention, the boy who missed out on the hat got something even better - he met with Majchrzak and walked away with even more swag.
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