Ben Stiller responds after shock Nick Kyrgios moment at Indian Wells

Hollywood star Ben Stiller has responded after Nick Kyrgios dragged him into a beef with a heckling fan at Indian Wells.

Kyrgios had a running battle with the crowd in California last week as he went down to Rafa Nadal in their quarter-final clash.

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In one extraordinary moment late in the third set, Kyrgios dragged Stiller into an ugly exchange with a spectator.

Kyrgios asked the fan “are you good at tennis?”, before using Stiller as an example.

“Exactly, so don’t tell me how to play. Do I tell him how to act?” Kyrgios said, pointing at the actor. “Shut the f*** up."

Stiller, who was sitting alongside wife Christine Taylor in the front row at one end of the court, saw the funny side of the exchange.

And the Dodgeball star has since reached out to Kyrgios on social media, writing: “Great match today.”

Kyrgios responded on Sunday, writing: “Thanks. Maybe we can start working on the next film together, I think I got some acting in me. How is your tennis?”

Stiller replied on Monday, writing: “I could use some help with my serve but maybe a new doubles team? We can discuss it on set …”

Kyrgios responded: "Done."

Nick Kyrgios issues apology after ball kid incident

Meanwhile, Kyrgios has issued an apology after a racquet he smashed into the ground bounced and nearly hit a ball kid following the match.

The ball boy was able to duck out of the way and Kyrgios was then booed by some in the crowd following the 7-6 (7-0) 5-7 6-4 defeat on Thursday.

"I just want to apologise to that ball kid at the end of the match," Kyrgios wrote on Instagram.

"It was a complete accident and was frustrated at the end of the match.

"My racquet took a crazy bounce and was never my intention. If anyone knows who that ball kid is, send me a message and I will send a racket to him. I'm glad he's OK!"

Kyrgios later used social media to track down the ball boy, who accepted the apology, saying he was "completely fine" and looking forward to getting his hands on a racquet.

The 26-year-old Kyrgios was initially defensive when asked about the incident after the match, berating a reporter for focusing on it after a blockbuster match.

"What would you like me to say about it?," he said.

"Obviously, was that my intention? No. Because I threw the racquet.

"Did I throw the racquet anywhere near him originally? It landed a metre from my foot and skidded and nearly hit him.

"I'm human. Things happen like that. Obviously it was a very misfortunate bounce.

"I think if I did that a million times over it wouldn't have gone that way."

with AAP

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