A moment intended to delight a young tennis fan instead became a flashpoint of outrage at the US Open.
After his hard-fought victory over ninth seed Karen Khachanov, Polish star Kamil Majchrzak attempted to gift his cap to a young boy in the crowd.
But before the child could receive it, a man standing nearby snatched the cap and hid it in his partner’s bag – an act that immediately drew fury online.
Majchrzak, unaware of the hijacking at first, later took to Instagram to locate the boy and make amends.
identification and backlash follow swiftly
Thanks to the power of social media, the man was not allowed to fade from view. Online sleuths identified him as Piotr Szczerek, the CEO and owner of a Polish paving company called Drogbruk.
Following the incident, he disabled comments on his social accounts, perhaps unsurprisingly given the torrent of public condemnation.
The moment ignited mass criticism. Netizens didn’t hold back, calling the act “disgusting” and “entitled,” and urging the US Open to consider banning the man from future events.
The tennis star’s swift, compassionate response – requesting help to find the boy and promising to replace the hat – offered a powerful contrast to the selfish behavior.
Though the child was found within the hour and reportedly received a replacement cap, the incident continues to spark debate about sportsmanship and fan etiquette.
As Majchrzak‘s kindness made headlines, Szczerek‘s actions served as a cautionary stain on what should have been a celebratory scene – reminding everyone that entitlement still overshadows the innocence of simple gestures.
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