In brief
Piotr Szczerek apologized for snatching a hat from a young boy at the US Open, saying he believed the tennis player was giving it to him. He expressed remorse for his actions and has since returned the hat, aiming to repair the situation. Tennis star Kamil Majchrzak, who offered the hat to the boy, emphasized the confusion caused by the incident.
The man who was caught on camera snatching a hat off a young boy at the US Open has said he made a huge mistake after footage of the incident went viral.
Piotr Szczerek, a Polish chief executive of a paving firm, said he was convinced tennis star Kamil Majchrzak had been passing his hat in my direction.
I know I did something that seemed like consciously collecting a memento from a child, he wrote in a statement. This wasn't my intention, but it doesn't change the fact that I hurt the boy and disappointed the fans.
The video, taken during Majchrzak's match on Thursday, showed the tennis player offering his cap to a child, before Mr Szczerek appears to take it.
Versions of the clip were shared widely on social media and prompted criticism of Mr Szczerek's actions.
The 50-year-old wrote on social media on Monday: I would like to unequivocally apologise to the injured boy, his family, as well as all the fans and the player himself.
He added that he had given the hat back to the boy, and hoped that it had at least partially repaired the damage that was done.
Majchrzak, 29, who had just won his match against Russian ninth seed Karen Khachanov when the incident unfolded, told the BBC he believed he did what most athletes would do in this kind of situation, adding he hoped the boy and his family had a great day.
He earlier indicated to the New York Post that he felt there had been some kind of confusion.
I was pointing, giving the hat, but I had a lot going on after my match, after being super tired and super excited for the win, he said.
I just missed it... I'm sure the guy was also acting in the moment of heat, in the moment of emotions.
The tennis star reunited with the boy over the weekend, sharing clips of him giving the young fan a cap and other merchandise on Instagram.
Majchrzak, ranked 76th in the world in men's singles, came back from two sets down to beat Khachanov in a second-round match at Flushing Meadows, but was forced to retire injured during the first set of his third-round tie against Switzerland's Leandro Riedi on Saturday.
He later confirmed he had torn an intercostal muscle.
Mr Szczerek and his wife Anna founded his paving company Drogbruk in 1999. The couple, who have two sons that are also amateur tennis players, have hosted Polish tennis pro Urszula Radwańska on their home court.
