Piotr Szczerek, a Polish entrepreneur, has reiterated his apology after being caught on live television taking a signed sports cap from a child at the US Open.
During the intense tennis match on August 28 between Kamil Majchrzak and Karen Khachanov, which Majchrzak won 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 7-6, Szczerek, the CEO of Drogbruk, was seen on TV taking a cap meant for a young boy seated next to him. The footage shows Szczerek putting the hat into a bag as the child protests audibly.
The incident quickly gained attention on social media, leading to widespread criticism, and Szczerek was soon identified as the individual involved.
In response, Szczerek issued an apology on his Facebook page, using a translator to express his deep regret, stating he never intended to take the cap from the child and acknowledging it was a significant mistake.
He has now provided an additional statement with further details.
Szczerek’s latest message emphasizes his previous apology, stating: “In connection with the incident that occurred during Kamill Majchrzak’s match at the US Open, I would like to unequivocally apologize to the young boy, his family, all the fans, and the player himself.”
He continued, “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, and I believed Majchrzak was handing a hat to me to give to my sons, who had previously asked for autographs.”
Szczerek added that he has returned the hat to the boy, expressing his hope that this act might help to mend the situation to some degree.
He also addressed misinformation circulating online, clarifying that neither he nor his family have made any statements online about the incident. “We did not hire any law firm regarding this matter. All statements appearing online accredited to us were false and were not authored by us or our representatives,” he clarified.
Kamil Majchrzak also spoke to The New York Post, explaining that the event was a result of “some kind of confusion.” He stated, “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.”