Australian sporting icon Dawn Fraser has apologised “unreservedly” for offending Nick Kyrgios and his family with comments that they had described as nasty and racist.

Fraser faced a storm of criticism on Tuesday after suggesting Kyrgios and fellow tennis star Bernard Tomic should set a better example or go back to where their parents came from.

She later issued a statement apologising.

“I want to unreservedly apologise for any comments that I made this morning which may have caused offence to my fellow Australians including Nick and his family,” she said.