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'I'm sorry': Nick Kyrgios' classy act after 'dangerous' ball kid moment

riley morgan
Sports Reporter
·4-min read
Nick Kyrgios (pictured middle) applauding the crowd (pictured left) throwing his racquet that nearly hits a ball kid and (pictured right) offering his racquet to a ball kid.
Nick Kyrgios (pictured middle) was slammed after nearly hitting a ball kid with his racquet smash (pictured left) at Indian Wells, but met up with the ball kid to offer him an apology (pictured right). (Images: Twitter/Getty Images)

Aussie maverick Nick Kyrgios has tracked down the ball kid and offered him a gift following the severe backlash received moments after his loss to Rafa Nadal at Indian Wells.

Kyrgios left the tennis world stunned on Thursday after unravelling on a number of occasions in the 6-7, 7-5, 4-6 defeat to the World No.4.

WILD: Nick Kyrgios drags Ben Stiller into ugly exchange at Indian Wells

'SO IT BEGINS': Nadal's brutal response to cheeky Kyrgios act

One such incident, that caught the attention of the tennis world, was moments after shaking hands with Nadal.

Kyrgios smashed his racquet to the floor at his feet, which unfortunately ricocheted near a ball kid standing at the back of the court.

The ball kid was able to move out of the way safely and no harm was done.

However, Kyrgios received a number of boos from the crowd as he exited the arena and the tennis world was quick to label the act as 'dangerous'.

Kyrgios also took aim at a reporter when asked about the incident in his post-match press conference.

However, in a classy move, Kyrgios has since tracked down the ball kid and met up with him to apologise.

Kyrgios reached out on social media to ask anyone that knew the ball kid if they could be put into touch.

After an exchange of messages, Kyrgios posted a video on Saturday after meeting with the ball kid and offering him a racquet to apologise.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. You alright?" Kyrgios said during the video.

The ball kid appeared shy meeting the tennis star, before admitting he was obviously fine after the incident.

Kyrgios handed the young ball kid a racquet after the apology.

"You going to use it? Take it easy."

Kyrgios admitted the ball kid was nervous after the meeting when he posted the video to social media.

Kyrgios later clarified his actions with leading tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg when the pair exchanged a few messages on social media.

"100% not my intention at all, you know that!" Kyrgios said, about the incident.

"Hence I went to the effort of going back to the courts today and personally meeting the young king."

Nick Kyrgios hits out at reporter following Rafa Nadal loss

Decrying that the question came after a 'three-hour battle with Nadal', Kyrgios angrily replied that the racquet at taken a 'misfortunate bounce'.

“What would you like me to say about it? Obviously, was that my intention? No. Because I threw a racquet. Did I throw the racquet anywhere near him originally?" Kyrgios said.

"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. And what do you want me to say? It was three metres away from the kid.

"That’s a question you’re going to say after a three-hour battle against Nadal. That’s what you come here with?”

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