The U.S. Open tennis tournament always seems to come with its share of drama. Usually, it's something like a clash between two players or a heated moment between a player and the umpire — like when Serena Williams had that famous argument with the umpire in 2018, or when Daniil Medvedev got into it with the crowd a few years ago. Last week American player Taylor Townsend and Czech player Barbora Krejcikova got into an argument on court after their match.
Two days ago, something different happened — this time, between two spectators.
Polish tennis player Kamil Majchrzak had just won his match and was hanging out with fans, signing autographs and on tennis balls. He noticed a young kid in the crowd and, in a sweet gesture, took off his cap and handed it to the child.
That’s when things took a turn. A man standing nearby suddenly grabbed the cap from the kid’s hands and just walked off with it.
Turns out, the man is Piotr Szczerek — a millionaire and CEO of a company in Poland. When reporters asked him about it later, he didn’t apologize at all. Instead, he arrogantly said, “Yeah, I took it. I did it in a rush. But hey, first come, first served — that’s life.”
At the time, Majchrzak didn’t see what had happened because he was still signing autographs. But when he found out later, he got in touch with the boy and his mother and gave them not just another cap, but also his shirt and a bunch of other gifts.
Social media, as always, didn’t hold back. People were furious. Many called the CEO a jerk and a coward. One person summed it up by posting, “Only a complete idiot and jerk would snatch a hat from a child.”
PS: Latest news. September 1 6.58 pm California time. That Polish CEO apologized to that kid, the fans, and the Polish player.
'That's Life' is more appropriate to teach kids the reality of life from an early age. Why give them false hopes when they are young and then flip it all over after they grow up?
ReplyDeleteThsnks for your comments Rajesh. So you think it is ok to steal from a kid?
DeleteIf this was stealing, he would have been arrested. In general, if it's OK to do something with adults, it should be OK to do them with kids too. There is no need to project a sweet flowery world.
DeleteWant to see your reaction if someone snatches anything from the hand of your wife or kid.
DeleteWell said Rajesh!
ReplyDeleteThanks SG, you have an eye and knack for picking up interesting tidbits that many wld hv passed over. It brought out the good nature of the player.
Thanks for your comments Mr. KP. You appreciated Rajash. So. It is ok to steal from a kid to teach him.a life's lesson?
DeleteI appreciated the point made by Rajesh that kids shd be ready to face disappointments too when the rich guy snatched the cap and not get accustomed to getting pats and gifts.
DeleteThat is what happens in real life.
The tribute to Rajesh doesn’t in any way detract from the merit in your very interesting post highlighting tiny things that have carries a real msg like meanness of the rich guy and the kind and generous disposition of the player.
I am a great fan of yours
Thanks for your comments Mr. KP. Still I do not like to teach a small kid life's lessons. All I know is some idiot stole a cap givien to him by a famous tennis player.
DeleteI don't understand what makes such people (like the CEO) do such things, and then they realise it later, and then they apologise. Just shows wealth and career rankings don't mean anything!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, a few days ago, Taylor Townsend got into an argument with Polish player Jelena Ostapenko, right? Or was there one with Krejcikova as well, which I missed?
(My latest post: Fiction, non-fiction: Why I read what I read)
Sorry, Ostapenko is a Latvian player.
DeleteThanks for your comments Pradeep. You are right. I stand corrected. Her argument was with Ostapenko and not with Krejcikova. My apologies.
DeleteWhatever said and done, that idiot was so mean to snatch the cap from a kid. Disappointment is different. Had that kid asked his dad to buy a cap and the dad refused due to some reason, it is a disappointment which the kid should learn there is a word no. Millionaire 's act cannot be justified
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Gowri. You said it very well.
DeleteThe millionaire Piotr was nasty to snatch the cap from kid.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the kid must have felt very happy to get so many other things from Majchrzak later.