Rafael Nadal celebrates his special victory as he wins his 19th Grand Slam. | EFE/Jennifer Pottheiser/USTA

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After his epic victory at the US Open, Rafael Nadal came straight back to Majorca on Monday. He is not expected to play again until after his wedding in October and so will miss the Shanghai Masters 1000. His next appearance will almost certainly be at the ATP Finals in London in November.

There have been numerous tributes to the 19-time Grand Slam winner. Spain's David Ferrer, who retired in May, said that there are no words to describe what Rafael Nadal means to the sport or the values that he conveys in every way. Real Madrid football club tweeted that it was "very proud" of "an exemplary sportsperson" for whom there are no limits in terms of achievement.

David de Gea, Manchester United's goalkeeper, stated that Nadal "is on another planet". And tennis legend Australia's Rod Laver, who handed Nadal the trophy in New York, praised his "courageous victory" and added that it had been "a privilege" to present him with the trophy.