Nick Kyrgios loses to Rafael Nadal in explosive Indian Wells quarter-final match

Nick Kyrgios has fallen short in his battle against Rafael Nadal in their Indian Wells quarter final, with the scoreline reading 7-6 (6-0), 5-7, 6-4.

Kyrgios had been gunning to end Nadal's incredible 18-0 start to the tennis season, but lost his cool at several points of the match, swearing at the chair umpire and getting involved in a verbal stoush with a man sitting alongside Hollywood star Ben Stiller.

«Why are you speaking?» he said to the man seated three down from Stiller, before pointing at the comedian.

«Do I tell him how to act? No.»

After being broken in the third set, Kyrgios hit out at chair umpire Carlos Bernardes for not managing the crowd.

«How long are you going to let that s**t go on for? How long? How long? How long, bro? How long?» Kyrgios yelled.

«If you did something about it before, maybe it wouldn't have happened.

»It happens again and again — and look at the f***ing score! Look at the score!

«It's your job to control that, no one else's.»

Kyrgios was then booed from the court, after the Australian smashed his racquet directly following his post-match handshake with Nadal, with the piece of equipment reportedly nearly hitting a ballkid.

«Nadal wins, Kyrgios spikes racquet that goes flying and nearly hits a ballkid. Crowd boos as he exits,» tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg tweeted.

«Tough end to a pretty great match.»

More to come.