English Section

US Open cap-snatch video goes viral, Poland’s Majchrzak tracks down boy

02.09.2025 13:30
A video of a man grabbing a child’s souvenir cap from Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak at the US Open went viral, leading the player to identify the man and later deliver replacement gifts to the boy and his brother.
Kamil Majchrzak of Poland returns a shot against Leandro Riedi of Switzerland shortly before retiring his match due to injury during the third round of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 30 August 2025. Majchrzak retired his match due to injury.
Kamil Majchrzak of Poland returns a shot against Leandro Riedi of Switzerland shortly before retiring his match due to injury during the third round of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 30 August 2025. Majchrzak retired his match due to injury.Photo: EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO

After upsetting ninth-ranked Karen Khachanov on Thursday, Majchrzak moved to the rail to sign autographs and hand his cap to a boy.

As he turned to another fan, a man beside the child snatched the cap and stashed it in a woman’s bag, an incident captured on television and widely memed online.

Majchrzak told the New York Post the man was Piotr Szczerek, a sponsor of the Polish tennis federation and CEO of the Drogbruk company.

Citing Spain’s MARCA, the Post said the businessman deactivated his social media accounts “after the incident caused widespread fury.”

On a Polish job portal, commenters called him a “common thief” and a “primitive fraudster.”

The boy’s mother later contacted Majchrzak on Instagram, he told the Polish Press Agency (PAP).

“His name is Brock. I met him and his brother. Brock got a cape and his brother got a terry (towel). They also both received a T-shirt each,” he said, adding: “You have to spread goodness in the world because there is less and less of it.”

Majchrzak has since exited the tournament due to injury.

(jh)

Source: Euronews, Polskie Radio 24