WIMBLEDON, England—Novak Djokovic praises the improved fitness of Richard Gasquet, who he will play in the Wimbledon semifinals. The world No. 1 was on court at the same time as Gasquet during the Frenchman's quarterfinal contest with Stanislas Wawrinka, but saw the completion of the five-set match.
"It's a great effort from him to mentally stay tough because Stan, you know, is one of the toughest players on the tour. In decisive moments he goes for his shots," said Djokovic.
But the improvement by Gasquet may be physical as much as mental, suggested the Serb.
"Well, it's a great effort from Richard to win against Stan, who is in a terrific form, and five sets. I think the biggest difference with Richard now, maybe comparing to the last couple years, is his fitness. I think he improved a lot. I heard he worked hard to get himself really fit and ready to go the distance, and it's paying off," he said. "He always had a touch, he always had the talent."
Djokovic is 11-1 against Gasquet.