‘I’ve made a severe mistake,’ Polish CEO Piotr Szczerek mentioned.
A Polish businessman who appeared to grab a match-worn hat being handed to a younger boy through the U.S. Open mentioned he made a “severe mistake” and apologized.
The footage of Piotr Szczerek, CEO of the Polish paving stone firm Drogbruk, taking the cap went viral throughout information channels and social media, diverting some consideration from Kamil Majchrzak’s thrilling five-set upset in opposition to Russia’s Karen Khachanov on Aug. 28.
The hat was handed to the boy, who was additionally holding out a supersized tennis ball for the participant to signal. Earlier than the boy might react to take the cap, Szcerek snatched it from the participant’s outstretched hand.
Szczerek mentioned he regretted his “extraordinarily poor judgment” and took full duty for his “hurtful actions.”
Majchrzak, who represents Poland, won the second spherical match 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 7-6.
Szcerek mentioned that he “grew to become caught up within the warmth of the second” and “believed Majchrzak was handing a hat to me to provide to my sons, who had beforehand requested for autographs.”
“In reference to the incident that occurred throughout Kamill Majchrzak’s match on the US Open, I wish to unequivocally apologize to the younger boy, his household, all of the followers, and the participant himself,” Szczerek said in a social media publish.
“I’ve made a severe mistake,” Szczerek said in one other publish.
After the footage went viral, and fabricated statements attributed to him and his spouse circulated on the web, his fellow Poles went on a Polish job itemizing web site to criticize him for his actions.
“No matter what I believed was taking place, the actions I took damage the younger boy and disenchanted the followers,” he mentioned. “I’ve despatched the hat again to the boy and prolonged my honest apologies to his household. I hope, not less than to a small extent, I used to be in a position to restore the hurt I triggered.”
Szcerek mentioned in his assertion that he had not issued another feedback in regards to the incident on social media or elsewhere after reviews circulated of remarks falsely attributed to him claiming he had filed a lawsuit.
“We didn’t rent any legislation agency concerning this matter. All statements showing on-line accredited to us had been false and weren’t authored by us or our representatives,” Szczerek mentioned.
“This incident has proven me {that a} second of inattention can undo years of labor and assist. It’s a painful however crucial lesson in humility. Going ahead, I’ll interact much more actively in initiatives that assist youngsters and youth, and I’ll take actions in opposition to violence and hate. I consider that solely by way of actions can I rebuild the belief I’ve misplaced.”
After the incident, Majchrzak was in a position to monitor down the boy and meet him. Majchrzak informed media retailers that the state of affairs was as a consequence of “some sort of confusion.”
Majchrzak was compelled to retire within the fourth set of his third-round match in opposition to Leandro Riedi of Switzerland on Aug. 30 as a consequence of an undisclosed harm, ending his run within the match.
His greatest Grand Slam efficiency got here earlier in 2025 at Wimbledon, the place the 29-year-old reached the fourth spherical.
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