Polish CEO apologizes after hat-snatching moment goes viral at US Open

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A viral incident at the U.S. Open has led to widespread backlash against a Polish CEO — and to mistaken identity that pulled in another businessman who had nothing to do with it.

During a match on Aug. 28, Polish tennis player Kamil Majchrzak defeated No. 9 seed Karen Khachanov. After the win, Majchrzak removed his hat to hand it to a young fan in the stands. Video showed a man grabbing the hat before the boy could receive it and quickly tucking it into a woman’s bag.

The man was later identified as Piotr Szczerek, chief executive of the Polish paving company Drogbruk.

Piotr Szczerek apologizes after US Open backlash

What they're saying:

Szczerek was criticized online after the video spread widely. Some outlets even circulated an unverified quote in which he allegedly defended his actions, saying "life is first come, first served."

In his latest Facebook statement, Szczerek denied ever making such comments.

"I also want to make it clear: neither I, my wife, nor my sons commented on this situation on social media or on any website," he wrote. "All alleged statements appearing online are not ours."

Szczerek has apologized publicly, explaining that he believed Majchrzak had handed him the hat for his sons, who had collected autographs earlier in the day.

"I would like to offer my sincere apology to the injured boy, his family, all the fans, and the player himself," he said. "I made a grave mistake… Today, I know that I did something that seemed like deliberately taking a souvenir from a child. It wasn’t my intention, but that doesn’t change the fact that I hurt the boy and disappointed the fans."

Kamil Majchrzak of Poland plays a backhand to Sebastian Korda during Day 3 of the ATP 250 Winston-Salem Open at Wake Forest Tennis Complex on August 20, 2025 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. ((Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images))

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He said he has since returned the hat to the child and apologized to the family directly. Szczerek added that the moment was a "painful but necessary lesson in humility" and vowed to continue supporting youth sports in Poland.

Mistaken identity leads to harassment

The other side:

The controversy spilled over onto a different businessman with a nearly identical company name, the New York Times reported. Roman Szkaradek, who runs a separate paving business called Drog-Bruk, has faced a wave of angry calls, online abuse and one-star reviews despite having no connection to Szczerek.

"I am an honest entrepreneur who has been building his image for so many years, and in two days it was crushed to dust," Szkaradek told reporters.

The backstory

Majchrzak later sought out the child to make amends. In an Instagram post, he shared a clip of himself with the boy, writing: "Hello World, Together with Brock we wish you a great day!"