After saving five match points to secure a thrilling five-set victory over ninth seed Karen Khachanov in the second round of the US Open on 29/8, Majchrzak approached the stands to interact with fans, sign autographs, and gift his hat to a young boy. However, a man standing next to the boy snatched the hat and quickly hid it in his companion's bag.
The video quickly spread across social media, accompanied by comments expressing disapproval and outrage at the man's behavior. In the video, he proceeded to hand Majchrzak a water bottle to sign, seemingly unconcerned by the boy's disappointment.
Across various online forums, many users strongly criticized the man for turning a heartwarming moment into an unpleasant scene, labeling him with terms like "jerk," "idiot," and "terrible." One Reddit user declared that "stealing from a child is disgusting."
The man in the video was identified as Piotr Szczerek, CEO of the road construction company Drogbruk in Poland, Majchrzak's home country. Szczerek, a multi-millionaire, has been a frequent sponsor of Polish tennis. Following the incident, both Szczerek and Drogbruk faced significant public backlash.
Majchrzak remained unaware of the incident until it erupted on social media. The 29-year-old tennis player posted on his Instagram: "I just found out that my hat didn't make it to the little boy. Can anyone help me find him? If he or his family sees this post, please send me a message."
About an hour later, Majchrzak updated that he had located the boy and expressed his amazement at "the power of the internet." The world number 76 player stated that the situation had been resolved amicably. He later shared a photo with the boy, showing him with the hat and a gift bag.
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Majchrzak and images following the incident spread across social media. Photo: NYP |
Majchrzak and images following the incident spread across social media. Photo: NYP
The incident seemed to distract Majchrzak before his match against Leandro Riedi in the third round of the US Open on 31/8. After securing his second two-match win at a Grand Slam in New York, Majchrzak withdrew at the start of the match against Riedi due to physical issues, allowing his opponent to advance to the fourth round.
Vy Anh
