“If You Were Faster, You’d Have It”

The US Open has always attracted drama around it, but this time the drama was not on the court, rather in the stands. After Polish tennis pro Kamil Majchrzak secured the best victory in his life as he beat ninth-seeded Karen Khachanov in five thrilling sets, the player walked towards the stands to spread love. He autographed, waved, grinned, then took off his hat and particularly pointed towards a boy named Brock in the stands.

Others thought that this was one of those fan moments that kids will always remember throughout their life. But instead of that, this is another viral scandal.

Even before the boy could spread wide his arms, the adult male, Polish tycoon, pavement construction magnate, Piotr Szczerek, grasped the hat, thrust it into the pocket in the bag belonging to his wife, and walked away leaving the boy heart-broken as he yelled, “What are you doing?”

Here Comes the Villain:

If the internet has any one true beau, it is that of the dastardly villain. Szczerek, owner of asphalt company Drogbruk and amateur tennis buff, was outed overnight. Net detectives proclaimed him to be the “most hated man on the internet.” Frankly, the optics were brutal.

A tycoon boss who has a private tennis court in his own yard, stealing a souvenir from a schoolboy? That’s not just a poor image, that’s Bond villain style.

So when the cameras recorded him-stuffing-the-hat-into-his-wife’s-purse like it was contraband, game over. There was no coming back from Szczerek. His social networking sites disappeared in the scandal.

His Defense: “Life is first come, first served”

However, rather than slowly disappearing, Szczerek doubled up, as Dexerto reports. Issuing a public statement that sounded like lines from a parody program, he ignored the backlash:

“Ah, yes, I took it. Yes, I did it in a rush. But as always, first come, first served is life.”

Brother, that ain’t no shoe drop; that was that boy’s hat.

He even threatened to sue those who disrespect him on the web. Just thinking about swiping a hat from a kid, then breaking out the “see you in court” magic trick.

The Internet Erupts

Social media did what social media does best: roasted him alive. There were the run-of-the-mill heckler variety, like calling him a “jerk” and “coward,” and suggesting that he embarrassed the whole company. There was this viral post that condensed all that in this short write-up:

“Only an ordinary idiot and a jerk could snatch a hat from a child’s hands.”

Next time, we wouldn’t want to run him through to lay asphalt,” another added.

Even Majchrzak, who initially handed over the hat, acknowledged that there was “confusion” but could not afford to ignore poor optics. To his credit, the player later found Brock and placated him with several replacement caps, telling him, “All good now.”

The Fake Lawyer Statement: Things Get Even Wilder

Just when the tale seemed ridiculous enough, a bizarre statement appeared on the internet under the name of Szczerek’s attorney. He characterized the hat grab as anything short of robbery, but instead an “educational gesture” to teach the boy a sense of gratitude and responsibility.

Yes, you got that right. The defence was that in essence, He did not steal from him; He gave him a life lesson.

It was removed soon thereafter, the honest lawyer complaining that he had been misrepresented. But by that time, damage was already done. The net had meme fodder for months.

The Aftermath: A Hat, A Million Memes

The young man got his hat (along with change). Majchrzak received hero points for being in the right place at the right time, while Szczerek received infamy for cheesiest tennis flex in history. And who will remember that five-set match in ten years’ time? But all will remember the millionaire who took off the child’s hat and then shouted, “First come, first served.” Because in the US Open, the drama is not always on court. Sometimes, it is in the stands, in the guise of the adult struggling with the young for a souvenir, as if it is the last TV available in store on this Black Friday.

The post Polish Millionaire CEO Piotr Szczerek Reportedly Defends Snatching Kid’s Hat at US Open: “If You Were Faster, You’d Have It” appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More.