On August 29, 2025, a seemingly joyful moment at the US Open turned into a viral controversy that sparked widespread outrage. Polish CEO Piotr Szczerek, head of the paving company Drogbruk, was caught on camera snatching a signed hat intended for a young fan from tennis player Kamil Majchrzak. The incident, which occurred after Majchrzak’s thrilling five-set victory over Russia’s Karen Khachanov, quickly escalated into a social media firestorm, drawing sharp criticism and leading to severe backlash against Szczerek and his company.
The Incident: A Moment of Misjudgment
The controversy unfolded on Court 11 at the US Open, moments after Kamil Majchrzak, ranked 76th in men’s singles, secured a hard-fought win against the ninth-seeded Khachanov. The match, which ended 2-6, 6-7 (7-4), 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), was a career highlight for the 29-year-old Polish tennis star. As is customary, Majchrzak approached the stands to engage with fans, signing autographs and sharing memorabilia.
Among the crowd was a young boy named Brock, eagerly awaiting a keepsake. Majchrzak removed his match-worn hat and extended it toward the boy, a gesture meant to create a memorable moment for the young fan. However, before Brock could take the hat, Piotr Szczerek, standing nearby, reached out and grabbed it. Broadcast footage captured the moment clearly: Szczerek swiftly took the hat and placed it into his wife Anna’s bag, ignoring the boy’s protest of, “What are you doing?”
The young fan appeared crestfallen, and Majchrzak, unaware of the incident due to the chaotic post-match atmosphere, continued signing autographs for other fans. The video, posted on Instagram on August 31, 2025, quickly went viral, amassing tens of millions of views and igniting a wave of criticism directed at Szczerek.
Szczerek, a 50-year-old millionaire and CEO of Drogbruk, a Polish paving and landscaping company he co-founded with his wife in 1999, was identified by internet sleuths and confirmed by Majchrzak to the New York Post as the individual in the video. Majchrzak noted that Szczerek sponsors the Polish Tennis Association, adding a layer of complexity to the situation.
Nothing is more disgusting than a child bully.
— Roberto A. Arrucha (@Arrucha) August 30, 2025
He is Piotr Szczerek, the owner of the Polish Drogbruk company, stealing the cap of Kamil Majchrzak during the US open.
Disgusting people. pic.twitter.com/jG3KIRh3dU
The tennis star described the incident as “some kind of confusion,” explaining that he was exhausted and exhilarated after the match, which caused him to miss the hat-snatching moment initially. Despite this, the public’s perception of Szczerek’s actions was far less forgiving, branding him as selfish and entitled for depriving a child of a cherished memento.
Public Outrage and Corporate Fallout
The viral video sparked an immediate and intense backlash across social media platforms. Fans and commentators condemned Szczerek’s actions, with many labeling him the “most hated man on the internet.” On platforms like X, posts criticizing Szczerek garnered hundreds of thousands of likes, with users calling his behavior “disgusting,” “entitled,” and “a new low.”
One user wrote, “Only an ordinary idiot and a jerk could snatch a hat from a child’s hands,” while another stated, “Stealing from a child is completely disgusting.” The outrage extended beyond social media, impacting Szczerek’s company, Drogbruk, which faced a barrage of negative reviews on platforms like Google, Trustpilot, and the Polish job search site Gowork.pl.
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Drogbruk, headquartered in Błaszki, Poland, and known for sponsoring local sports programs and young athletes, saw its Google rating plummet to 1.3 stars as hundreds of reviews poured in, accusing Szczerek of reflecting poor company values. A Trustpilot review remarked, “The CEO was caught on live video snatching a prized, signed hat from a child,” while another on Gowork.pl called him a “sack of garbage” and urged customers to boycott the company.
The review-bombing campaign highlighted the power of public sentiment in the digital age, as Szczerek’s actions were seen as a betrayal of sportsmanship and fairness, particularly given his status as a prominent businessman and amateur tennis player in the second division of the Kalisz Tennis Association. Initially, Szczerek’s response to the controversy was poorly received. A statement attributed to him, though later disavowed, went viral on August 31, 2025, claiming, “Yes, I took it. Yes, I did it quickly. But as I’ve always said, life is first come, first served… If you were faster, you would have it.”
This unapologetic tone, coupled with a threat of legal action against critics, further fueled public anger. Polish left-wing MP Anita Kucharska-Dziedzic commented on X, calling Szczerek “the most recognisable Polish businessman in the world” and suggesting that his actions would damage the reputation of Polish entrepreneurs for years. Facing mounting pressure, Szczerek deactivated most of his social media accounts, and Drogbruk limited comments on its official Instagram and Facebook pages.
Apology and Resolution: Making Amends
On September 1, 2025, Szczerek issued a formal apology on his company’s social media accounts, acknowledging his “huge mistake” and expressing regret for the incident. In the statement, he claimed he believed Majchrzak was handing the hat to him for his sons, who had previously asked for autographs. “I know I did something that seemed like consciously collecting a memento from a child. This wasn’t my intention, but it doesn’t change the fact that I hurt the boy and disappointed the fans,” he wrote.
Szczerek confirmed that he had returned the hat to Brock and personally apologized to the boy and his family, hoping to “partially repair the harm caused.” He also clarified that neither he, his wife, nor his sons had authorized any prior statements, disowning the earlier “first come, first served” comment. Szczerek’s apology included a commitment to engage more actively in initiatives supporting children and youth, emphasizing his desire to rebuild trust.
He disabled comments on the post, citing concern for his family, which some interpreted as an attempt to shield himself from further criticism. While the apology was a step toward accountability, it did little to quell the online outrage, as many felt it was too late to undo the damage to his reputation and that of Drogbruk. Meanwhile, Kamil Majchrzak took swift action to rectify the situation for the young fan, Brock.
On August 31, 2025, he posted on Instagram, appealing to his followers to help locate the boy after realizing the hat had not reached its intended recipient. Within hours, thanks to the power of social media, Majchrzak connected with Brock and met him in person on September 1, 2025. During their meeting, Majchrzak gifted Brock a new signed hat and other merchandise, posing for photos that he shared on Instagram with the caption, “Today after warm up I had a nice meeting. Do you recognize?” The tennis star’s compassionate response was widely praised, contrasting sharply with Szczerek’s initial actions.
Majchrzak also sought to de-escalate the situation, suggesting to SunSport that Szczerek had acted “in the heat of the moment” and that the incident should be put behind everyone. He told Newsweek, “I believe I did what most athletes would do in this kind of situation and I really hope Brock together with family had a great day.” Despite his efforts to move forward, Majchrzak’s US Open campaign ended shortly after due to a torn intercostal muscle, forcing him to retire during his third-round match against Switzerland’s Leandro Riedi on August 31, 2025.
The US Open hat-snatching incident involving Piotr Szczerek serves as a stark reminder of how quickly a moment of poor judgment can escalate in the digital age. What began as a celebratory gesture by Kamil Majchrzak turned into a global controversy, with Szczerek facing intense scrutiny for taking a souvenir meant for a child. The backlash, including review-bombing of Drogbruk and widespread condemnation on social media, underscores the public’s demand for accountability, particularly from those in positions of influence.
While Szczerek’s apology and the return of the hat to Brock were steps toward amends, the damage to his reputation and that of his company may linger. Conversely, Majchrzak’s swift and empathetic response highlighted the power of sportsmanship and kindness, ensuring that Brock’s experience at the US Open ended on a positive note. This incident, though centered on a simple hat, reflects broader themes of entitlement, responsibility, and the impact of public actions in an interconnected world.