US Open’s ‘entitled jerk’ Piotr Szczerek cops a well deserved backhand
Oh, but I am, if the US Open is anything to go by right now.
The tennis major is resembling a season of the Real Housewives for the crass and, frankly, ridiculous level of drama on show and around the courts of Flushing Meadows.
Brat summer, the cultural phenomenon spawned by pop star Charli XCX’s album last year, has only just hit the US it seems.
For all the carry on shown by our Nick Kyrgios over the years, at least he’s entertaining and not mean spirited.
He also seems to have matured and pulled himself together as an athlete and wonderfully entertaining and skilled commentator now too.
This US Open playing out in New York is another level of crazy – fitting given the state of the entire world right feels about as stable as John McEnroe in the 1980s.
We first saw Daniil Medvedev blow up like a dodgy nuclear reactor smashing his racquet and screaming in what could only be considered a tantrum not seen since the equally cringe worthy show Toddlers & Tiaras.
The champion, who has won 20 titles but has fallen to No. 13 in the rankings and lost in the first round of the last three majors, is having a slight form crisis so an existential meltdown is to be expected. However, please sir, have some self respect and do it in the privacy of a shower like the rest of us adults.
The former No. 1 has since been fined about $65,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and racquet abuse.
Then Jelena Ostapenko accused US player Taylor Townsend of having “no education and no class” after she lost in the second round late last week.
Irony, and the ability to return a killer serve, are not the former French Open winner’s strongest capabilities.
After the women’s doubles No. 1 approached her at the net for a customary handshake, the Latvian – reportedly – unleashed, telling her to apologise for not warming up in the conventional manner by practising volleys first.
She clearly forgot where she was – at a grand slam, not enjoying a casual three setter down at Rushcutters.
“It’s competition, people get upset when they lose and some people say bad things,” a classy Townsend explained in her post-match interview.
This gross attitude is now infiltrating the stands.
If there are any life lessons to take from this tournament it’s to never work with children, animals or Polish millionaires.
Especially if you’re Kamil Majchrzak.
A sponsor of the tennis star, a cashed up tradie called Piotr Szczerek, was captured snatching an autographed cap from another eager fan waiting in the stands after Majchrzak’s win.
That other fan was a kid.
The adult man, whom the internet has now renamed as “entitled jerk”, quickly grabbed the hat and shoved it in his wife’s bag while Brock – the young fan – was left wanting as the wife filmed it on her smart phone.
NEW: Tennis star Kamil Majchrzak is looking for a young boy who had a hat snatched from him by a grown man at the US Open.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 29, 2025
Majchrzak was seen trying to hand the boy his hat when a grown man took it and stashed it in a bag.
"After the match, I didn't record that my cap didn't… pic.twitter.com/JE5vGxjNxg
Karma is now being served online with his paving company, Drogbruk, being trolled online with a mass of poor Google ratings. Like his behaviour, it’s one star central.
As to be expected in those intense moments post match and mingling with hyped up fans, Majchrzak was oblivious to the incident.
“Obviously it was some kind of confusion,” he said, adding that Szczerek sponsors his tennis federation in Poland.
His benefit of the doubt is better than his backhand.
Well played for not biting the hand that feeds you, the problem is those phalanges also steal caps from children.
Majchrzak has since met with Brock and the kid was just happy to meet his idol. “Entitled jerk” has since deactivated his social media accounts.
There are calls that this type of internet witch hunt is an invasion of privacy, just look at how that played out with the “Coldplay CEO” earlier this year.
Like it or loathe it, we now live in a closely monitored world thanks to digital innovation and social media.
You can curate your own feed to only show a highlight reel of your highlights, but if you’re a low-life you’ll be found out soon enough.
Does the millionaire man child deserve to be cancelled? No, but the response to his behaviour should be a wake up call to us all – even the hot headed tennis stars they are paying top dollar to watch – everyone is watching, conduct yourself accordingly.
We are banning kids from social media as it’s not a safe environment, yet the real world is seemingly just as grubby and gross when it comes to acceptable conduct by adults – famous or not – setting good examples.
Ask yourself, have you witnessed a full aeroplane disembark in an orderly fashion or seen traffic merge politely lately?
Tupac was wrong, His adage “only God can judge me” is long gone. Sting was, unfortunately, right when he said “every move you make … every step you take I’ll be watching you”.
More Coverage
You cannot be serious that the sport of kings has been overrun by jerks.