The Polish paving CEO who was caught on camera stealing a signed hat from a child at the U.S. Open last week is finally trying to smooth things over.
Piotr Szczerek, the chief executive of paving stone company Drogbruk, issued an apology on social media on Monday, saying that his actions were a “serious mistake.”
Szczerek said he believed Polish tennis star Kamil Majchrzak was signing the hat for him to give to his sons. Majchrzak instead handed the hat to a young boy and then Szczerek snatched it out of his hands and quickly put it into a bag that his wife was holding.
The incident quickly went viral, with Drogbruk becoming slammed with negative online reviews after Szczerek’s identity was revealed.
“I would like to unequivocally apologize to the boy who was harmed, his family, as well as all the fans and the player himself,” Szczerek wrote on Facebook. “I made a serious mistake.
“In the emotions, in the crowd’s joy after the victory, I was convinced that the tennis player was handing the cap in my direction — for my sons, who had earlier asked for autographs,” he added.
“It is a painful but necessary lesson in humility for me.”
Szczerek also said that he has apologized to the boy and his family for his actions.
“For years, together with my wife, I have been involved in helping children and young athletes, but this situation showed me that one moment of carelessness can undo years of work and support,” he wrote.
“Therefore, I will engage even more actively in initiatives supporting children and youth, as well as in actions against violence and hate,” he added. “I believe that only through deeds can I rebuild the lost trust.
“Once again, I apologize to everyone I have let down.”
The incident occurred after Majchrzak scored a big upset win over Russian ninth seed Karen Khachanov last Thursday.
Majchrzak told the New York Post that the situation likely was the result of “some kind of confusion.”
“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,” said Majchrzak, who also pointed out that Szczerek sponsors his tennis federation in Poland.
“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,” he added.
There was a happy ending for the boy, though.
Majchrzak met up with kid and his family after his warmup on Saturday at the venue in Queens.
In a clip posted to Majchrzak’s Instagram Story, the Polish star gifted several souvenirs to the boy — including a hat of his own – and posed for pictures.
Szczerek also hit back at a statement attributed to him made on social media over the weekend that went viral which claimed the exec would seek legal action against anyone that slandered him over the incident.
In his post on Monday, Szczerek said that neither he nor his family had made any such comments.
As for Majchrzak, his U.S. Open run came to an end on Saturday when he was forced to retire from his third-round match against Switzerland’s Leandro Riedi.