Gareth: Be more like Rafa!
BY
GARETH SOUTHGATE has told his stumbling England World Cup stars: Be like Rafa Nadal.
The England boss was a guest in Centre Court’s Royal Box ahead of
Nadal’s third-round clash with Italian Lorenzo Sonego last night.
And he couldn’t hide his admiration for the 36-year-old Spanish ‘mentality monster’ who is aiming to win a calendar-year four Grand Slam sweep after winning the French and Australian Opens already.
Asked what England players can learn from Nadal’s career, Southgate said: “His consistency over a long period of time and the way he’s looked after himself.
“The benchmark now for professional athletes is to be as he is.
“All those fine margins that together make the difference.
“For example, the way that the tennis players recover between matches, given that they play for four or five hours... there are so many elements you can learn from.”