Tennis:Rafa Nadal arrived back in Madrid today after becoming only the seventh man to win all four grand slams and immediately dismissed the idea he could be regarded as the most successful Spanish athlete of all-time.
The 24-year-old has been involved in a whirlwind round of public events and television appearances since capturing his maiden US Open title by beating Novak Djokovic in Monday's final.
Nadal, though, said he could not be classified as Spain's all-time greatest sportsman despite adding the season's final tennis grand slam to his five French Opens, two Wimbledons and one Australian Open championship.
"I think it's obvious I'm not," he said in a news conference at Madrid airport after his overnight trans-Atlantic flight from New York. "It would be tremendously arrogant of me. All athletes have their merits for what they have done in their particular sports."
World number one Nadal continued to display typical modesty when he apologised to reporters for the early news conference.
"I'm very grateful. I know it's a difficult time of day. I'm sorry," said the Spaniard, grinning from ear to ear and showing little sign of jetlag.
Nadal will now take a break from tennis and the Real Mallorca shareholder and soccer fan is planning to watch Real Madrid later tonight.
He will be at the Bernabeu to see the self-proclaimed Portuguese 'Special One' Jose Mourinho's new team take on Ajax in their Champions League opener.