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 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.
“Today after warm up, I had a nice meeting,” the tennis star wrote, adding: “Do you recognise [the cap]?”
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, polish outlet Tenis Magazyn reported. The company sponsors sporting events and Polish athletes.
The couple and their two sons are amateur tennis players who compete in local leagues, and have hosted Polish tennis pro Urszula Radwańska on their home court, according to Tenis Magazyn.
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