MELBOURNE (AP):

Novak Djokovic did enough to beat defending champion Stan Wawrinka in a semi-final match that lacked the intensity of their recent five-setters, setting up an Australian Open final against long-time friend and rival Andy Murray.

The top-ranked Djokovic beat Wawrinka in a peculiarly seesawing 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 match last night to ensure two members of the so-called Big Four will meet the season-opening Grand Slam final.

Djokovic has a 100 per cent winning record in finals at Melbourne Park, claiming his first Grand Slam title here in 2008 and winning three straight years from 2011 before his streak was ended in the quarter-finals last year by Wawrinka.

The previous three Grand Slam meetings between Djokovic and Wawrinka had gone five sets, including two at the Australian Open that lasted a combined nine hours. Unlike those, though, the Friday night encounter was relatively muted and Wawrinka even described it as "Strange. Not the best, for sure."

Djokovic improved his record to 17 wins in 20 matches against Wawrinka, who will drop to number nine in the rankings next week.

Djokovic has beaten Murray in seven of their last eight matches and is 15-8 overall, but they're level in Grand Slam finals with two wins apiece, Djokovic in Australia in 2011 and '13 and Murray at the 2012 US Open and Wimbledon in 2013.

Wawrinka made his career breakthrough here last year when he beat Djokovic, Tomas Berdych, and Rafael Nadal to claim his first Grand Slam title, but he hadn't been past the quarter-finals at a major since his return to Melbourne Park.

Sixth-seeded Murray, who has lost three Australian Open finals, moved into the championship match with a fiery four-set win over number seven Tomas Berdych on Thursday night.