“I have made a grave mistake”: US Open viral hat snatcher Piotr Szczerek apologizes following backlash

Piotr Szczerek, a Polish entrepreneur and CEO of the paving and landscaping company Drogbruk, has issued an apology after a video clip went viral of him snatching a tennis cap from a young fan after Polish player Kamil Majchrzak's second-round win last Thursday at the US Open. Online backlash ensued, making it one of the tournament’s most controversial points.

The video captures Majchrzak trying to give his cap to a boy in the audience. Seconds later, Szczerek appears to swoop in to take the cap, putting it into a bag while looking at the kid in the audience.

The video went viral on social media and thousands of angry comments along with memes were made of the businessman.

Now, in an official statement, Piotr Szczerek has taken responsibility for the incident and apologized for misunderstanding the scenario.

"During Kamil Majchrzak’s match at the US Open, I made a grave mistake. In the heat of the celebration, I mistakenly believed the player was handing the cap to me for my sons. I instinctively reached out, but now I see how it looked - as if I deliberately took a souvenir from a child. That was never my intention, but I hurt the boy and disappointed the fans," he said.

Szczerek stated that he had returned the cap and hoped he "at least partially repaired the damage that was done.” He made it clear that neither he nor his family have put out any statements other than the official apology and warned that there had been made-up statements online.

Kamil Majchrzak responds to the controversy

Kamil Majchrzak recognized the controversy and called it a misunderstanding. The Polish tennis player also met with the boy again and gave him a new signed cap and other gear.

"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," he said. "I just missed it... I'm sure the guy was also acting in the moment of heat, in the moment of emotions," he told New York Post.

Big shoutout to Polish tennis player Kamil Majchrzak!🇵🇱👏

How it started: How it ended: pic.twitter.com/gsFHPtw427

— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) August 31, 2025

Now, while Piotr Szczerek has reached out with an apology, backlash on all sides is strong. On social media, many users have called him selfish.

Szczerek and his wife Anna are supposedly serious tennis fans in Poland, both playing in local leagues and even booking professional players at their home court. Piotr Szczerek has even co-founded a company, Drogbruk, in 1999 that sponsors sporting events and athletes, including athletes in the Polish Tennis Association.

While Majchrzak’s thoughtful gesture is likely to have mitigated the boy’s disappointment, the backlash against Szczerek continues.