A polish paving company has been bombarded with negative reviews and comments after its CEO was filmed snatching a hat from a young fan at a U.S. Open match last week.
Following the incident, which took place after a match involving Polish tennis star Kamil Majchrzak, internet sleuths quickly identified the man as Piotr Szczerek, the millionaire owner of Drogbruk.
Newsweek contacted Szczerek, through his company’s email, and Majchrzak’s representatives for comment.
Why It Matters
The footage and the ensuing backlash highlight how corporate reputations can unravel in the digital age. The personal misdemeanors of executives, when made public, often become linked with their corporate responsibilities, eroding trust in the business and potentially affecting bottom lines.
Numerous examples have emerged in recent years, such as Uber CEO Travis Kalanick’s 2017 argument with a driver over fare changes and the fallout from Astronomer CEO Andy Byron’s Coldplay “kiss cam” moment.
What To Know
The paving contractor boasts a 1.4 star rating on Google reviews, with most of the one-stars accompanied by comments about the hat-snatching footage.
The review website Trustpilot, meanwhile, has put a notice on the company’s page saying it is “currently closed for new reviews due to media attention.”
“FIRE THE CEO! I strongly advise against supporting Drogbruk,” one of the almost 1,200 Trustpilot reviews said. “The CEO was caught on live video snatching a prized, signed hat from a child.”
Majchrzak is currently ranked as the 76th men’s singles player in the world, according to ATP. On Thursday, the tennis star was signing autographs and greeting fans following his second-round victory over Russian Karen Khachanov.
Broadcast footage captured the moment Majchrzak attempted to hand his match hat to a young fan, which a man later identified as Szczerek grabbed instead. Majchrzak did not appear to notice the incident as he moved on to sign other fans’ items.
The business owner appeared to place the hat in his wife’s bag as the child pleaded and attempted to get Majchrzak’s attention.
Piotr Szczerek właściciel firmy budowlanej z Drog-Bruk z pod Kalisza. PRZEPROŚ MATKE ODDAJ CZAPKE.#piotrszczerek #czapka pic.twitter.com/nzc4H6ofNb
— Szafirowy Rycerz (@SzafirowyRycerz) August 29, 2025
The tennis player confirmed to the New York Post that the man in the footage was Szczerek. He said of the incident, “Obviously it was some kind of confusion.” Majchrzak added that Szczerek served as one of the sponsors of his tennis federation in Poland.
Searches for Szczerek and the name of his company surged after the footage went viral. According to several media reports, the CEO has deactivated his social media accounts, but netizens have used review sites to voice their disapproval of his actions.
What People Are Saying
One Google review of Drogbruk said: “You’re a millionaire, one who could buy anything he wanted, whenever he wanted. Yet you chose to steal from a child.”
A Trustpilot review said: “Company run by a complete [expletive] who steals caps from children to ruin their big moment and what would’ve been a fond childhood memory. May he be banned and his company too, from joining any sports events or sponsoring anything regarding to sports.”
Kamil Majchrzak told the New York Post: “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. I just missed it. I had like a dead look if you know what I mean. I’m sure the guy was also acting in the moment of heat, in the moment of emotions.”
What Happens Next
Majchrzak asked his followers on social media to help locate the boy from the footage. In a story later posted on Instagram, the tennis player filmed himself meeting the young fan and presenting him with a host of gifts, including a hat similar to the one seen in the now-viral footage.
The caption said: “Today after warm up, I had a nice meeting. Do you recognize [cap emoji]?”
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