In a shocking moment, a tennis fan was seen attempting to get into the World No.1's bag while he wasn’t even looking.
This latest mad scene at the US Open comes after the viral moment when a millionaire CEO ‘stole’ a hat from a kid in the crowd, who has since apologised for copping a bit of tennis kit meant for the youngster.
And this new scene is far more brazen, with the sporting fan seeming to go straight to the source themselves to get their memento from the match.
It reportedly happened last night (1 September), after Jannik Sinner had bagged his place in the quarterfinals, with the sticky-fingered fan seemingly attempting to get a look into his actual kit bag.
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The 24-year-old was heading off the court as he stopped by some spectators at the side.
Sinner was all packed up and ready to head to the locker room as he approached the front row to give one of them his towel.
But as he stopped for a selfie, one fan seemed to take the opportunity of being in such close proximity to unzip the four-time Grand Slam champ’s bag on his back.
Presumably just a fan, the person can be seen really trying to open it.
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Luckily, before he had a chance to open Sinner’s bag, a security guard spotted the situation unfolding and batted the man’s hand away.
The tennis star then looks pretty miffed with it, shaking his head and quickly making an exit. And the fan seemed rather embarrassed to have been caught in the daring act.
Fans on X called the moment ‘disgraceful’ as one wrote: “What’s he thinking??? So weird.”
“What is it with tennis fans at the moment?” another questioned, as a third said: “Omg the nerve.”
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However, one or two people did suggest that maybe the fan was actually trying to zip the bag closed, ‘but still, super weird’.
Like I said, and like some of those fans on X suggested, there does seem to be something in the air with fans at the US Open lately.
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Piotr Szczerek had to release a statement yesterday after he was identified as the viral CEO who appeared to take Kamil Majchrzak’s signed cap from a young boy.
On Facebook, he said he 'would like to clearly apologise to the injured boy, his family, as well as all the fans and the player himself'.
"In emotions, in the crowd rejoicing after the victory, I was convinced the tennis player tipped his hat in my direction - to my sons who have asked for autographs earlier," Khachanov added.
"The misconception caused me to pull out my hand. Today, I know I did something that looked like a deliberate collection of the child's souvenir.
"This was not my intention, but it doesn't change the fact I hurt the boy and disappointed the fans."
Jess Battison