Pressure, as Billie Jean King once said, is a privilege, so Andy Murray should not mind too much that as he prepares to face Stan Wawrinka in the semi-finals here today, former world No.1 John McEnroe says he has never had a better chance to win the French Open.

Considering that Wawrinka is the defending champion and that Novak Djokovic, the world No 1, is likely to be awaiting in the final, that might seem an outlandish suggestion.

But McEnroe, like many other former players, believe that the way the tournament has unfolded, with Djokovic having played on each of the past three days, means Murray has a golden opportunity to win his third grand slam title.

“There’s a chance for Murray,” McEnroe told a small group of reporters at Roland Garros. “Maybe his best chance to win the French ever could be this year. I don’t know if he’s going to be able to keep this up [but] to me he has got his best shot ever.”

Few people who watched Murray labour past Radek Stepanek in five sets, over two days, in round one, and then against French wildcard Mathias Bourgue, again over the distance, in round two, would have thought he was in the kind of form to challenge.

But Murray righted the ship quickly with straight-set wins over Ivo Karlovic and John Isner before pulling away to beat Richard Gasquet of France in four sets in the quarter-finals.

Murray’s match with Wawrinka will be just the second he has played since Sunday, a distinct advantage, should he come through it to face Djokovic, who has made light of his packed schedule so far but who could yet run out of steam.

And though the Scot rates Wawrinka’s game highly – after all, like him, the Swiss has won two grand slams, the Davis Cup and an Olympic gold medal (albeit in doubles), this will be the first time either nine-times champion Rafael Nadal or Djokovic have not been across the net from him at this stage.

That, of course, creates its own pressure but the world No 2’s win over Djokovic in the final in Rome a week before Roland Garros has heightened his belief that he can win here too.

And though he trails Djokovic 23-10 in their head-to-head meetings, Murray did beat the Serb in the final for each of his two grand slam titles and also beat him in the semi-finals on his way to Olympic gold.

First, though, he has to get past Wawrinka, a man who on his day has the power and class to hit through any opponent, and who has beaten Murray in each of their past three clashes.

At 29, Murray knows that he has a few years left to compete for more grand slam titles and in an era when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have mopped up 31 grand slams and when Djokovic, who has 11, threatens to surpass the lot, getting over the line is harder than ever.

But McEnroe said the Scot is continuing to improve with each year.

“I think he is doing everything he can,” said McEnroe, who will be part of BBC’s Wimbledon coverage again this summer. “He is coming up against some pretty stiff competition. You are arguably talking about the three greatest guys who ever lived.

“There is no question he has got a lot better. He has had to get better and he has probably made them better and he can take pride in that as somebody who is trying to have a great rivalry.

“It has been extremely difficult at times and frustrating. He has had better moments than almost anybody.

“There is always something you could say he could do something about. You could say, ‘Maybe his second serve could be a little better’.

“But there have been times where it has been better and others where the reality is just nerves or something gets in the way a little bit.”

The schedule has helped Murray and Wawrinka, by equal measure, and the Scot said the heavier court and balls, thanks to the poor weather, should not make any difference.

“Now we’ve been playing in these conditions the whole event, you should have made the adjustments to your game so that it’s not a massive factor when you’re on the court,” Murray said.

Djokovic, meanwhile, almost looks like he’s enjoying being tested by the schedule, loving the adversity and seemingly becoming stronger as he tries to win his first French Open.

Having dispatched the Czech Tomas Berdych for the 24th time in 26 meetings, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3, the Serb now plays Austria’s Dominic Thiem, who is in his first slam semi-final.

Thiem, the pick of the rising crop of young players, beat Belgium’s David Goffin 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-1, coming from a break down in the second and third sets.

“He's playing the best tennis of his life, no doubt about it,” Djokovic said. “He plays with a lot of speed, a lot of power. I'm sure he's going to give it his all. But I have something to fight for, as well. It's going to be a good one.”