Williams eased past Radwanska 6-0 6-4 to reach her 26th major final and her seventh in Melbourne while victory would see her go level with Steffi Graf at the top of the Open era champions list.

Angelique Kerber feels vindicated that she now belongs at the upper echelons of the women's game after four years of consistency helped her into her first grand slam final at the Australian Open on Thursday.

But Kerber, who had a stellar 2015, winning four tournaments, second only to Williams' five, had other ideas to become the first German into the last four here since Anke Huber in 1998. - Steffi Graf. She's spent time with Graf training at her home in Las Vegas, and said Thursday she hoped that she got a text message from the 22-time major victor on how she might be able to stop Serena from reaching that Grand Slam count, as well: "Steffi, write me please!" "I feel I am playing the best I can, and I can't believe I am in the final". "I will just trying focusing doing the same stuff I'm doing before every match, focusing on my game".

Johanna Konta of Britain hits a forehand return to Zhang Shuai of China during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016.

Williams won the set in 20 minutes, one of the fastest of the tournament and humiliating for Radwanska, last year's WTA Finals champion and one of the world's top players.

The writing was on the wall for Radwanska - Williams had never lost a semi-final at Melbourne Park on her way to six titles, and had beaten the Pole in each of their previous eight meetings stretching back to 2008.

After taking down her latest foe, Konta was asked about her switch from Australian to British nationality in 2012.

Murray, a four-time losing finalist at Melbourne Park, won the second set 7-5 after Raonic took the first 6-4. But Radwanska picked up her game, winning the first game of the second set and then breaking Williams three games later.

"Obviously I came up on the wrong side the last two times I was in the final but it wasn't like I played bad matches or anything like that".

After trading service breaks at the start of the second set, Konta roared to a 5-1 lead before sealing the win on the third match point with a lucky net cord that gave Zhang no chance.

The Sydney-born 24-year-old had not had much contact with either of the Murray brothers but their mother Judy, who is also Fed Cup captain, had postponed a flight home to stay and support.

"She (Kerber) took out a really tough opponent in Victoria (Azarenka)".

"But I think the nerves will be getting better when I'm getting out there in the finals".

Kerber looked to be fairly static in the opening games, getting punished as Konta went for the lines but settled the ship as she consolidated the early break, stretching out to a 3-0 lead.

Before the tournament began, Williams, a six-time Aussie Open champ, insisted her disappointing effort at last year's US Open semifinals, where she was stunned by the unranked Vinci, would not carry over into the new season.

That lack of progress on the biggest stage meant that she refocused her goals at the end of a year ago.