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Nick Kyrgios Gifts Fan Racket After Tennis Ball Accidentally Hits the Australian Open Attendee

Greta Bjornson
·2-min read
Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios

Mark Metcalfe/Getty

Nick Kyrgios comforted a young tennis fan with a memorable gift after the attendee was accidentally struck with a ball during the Australian Open.

During a Tuesday match at Kia Arena with his doubles partner, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Kyrgios, 26, hit a ball into the court, only for it to bounce up into the stands. In a clip of the incident, Kyrgios covered his mouth in shock as he realized the ball struck a spectator, who was later identified as nine-year-old Fin Crane.

In the short video of the incident tweeted by the Australian Open, a commentator said, "I think that may have hit somebody incredibly hard," before showing the young boy in the stands crying.

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Another commentator added, "He got hit in the stomach. Poor kid."

RELATED: Nick Kyrgios Smashes Racket During Australian Open Warm-Up Event, Goes on to Lose Match

Kyrgios was quick to make it up to the young fan, jogging off the court and retrieving a spare racket from his bag. The tennis pro then sent the racket up into the stands to Crane as the crowd cheered on his gesture.

"Well, that'll make him feel a little better," one of the commentators said with a laugh.

Following the incident, Kyrgios and Kokkinakis, 25, went on to win their match 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, according to ESPN.

RELATED: Nick Kyrgios Withdraws from US Open Over Coronavirus Concerns: 'Play at Your Own Risk'

Channel Nine reporter Clint Stanaway identified Crane on Twitter Tuesday, posting a picture of the boy smiling and posing with his souvenir.

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"This is 9-year-old Fin Crane!," Stanaway wrote. "Thankfully, he's all ok after getting accidentally cleaned up after errant ball flew into the crowd at the Kyrgios/Kokkinakis match - @NickKyrgios made sure he goes home with a nice souvenir! What a little legend #AO2022."

Kyrgios and Kokkinakis are set to play Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos next on Wednesday.