Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka reached his first Grand Slam final after edging out Tomas Berdych in four tight sets at the Australian Open on Thursday.

The eighth seed beat the Czech 6-3, 6-7 (1/7), 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4) in three hours 31 minutes and will play either Rafael Nadal or fellow Swiss Roger Federer in Sunday's final.

Wawrinka, who upset three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals, supplants Federer as the Swiss number one by making the final. Federer has held the top Swiss ranking since 2001.

"I'm speechless, it's amazing. I am so happy to win that match to make my first final here," Wawrinka said. "I am working every day to try and win matches. I didn't expect to make a final in a Grand Slam and tonight it's happened, so tonight I'm really happy."

Wawrinka didn't lose serve and only had one break point against him as big-serving Berdych dished up seven double faults, four of them, crucially, in the third and fourth set tiebreakers.

Berdych's serve was only broken once and Wawrinka shaded the Czech by just one point (143-142) throughout the whole match.

It will be Wawrinka's first major final after he lost to Djokovic in five sets in the semi-finals at last year's US Open.

Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova will also be appearing in her first Grand Slam final after she secured a routine 6-1, 6-2 victory over fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska. 

The 20th seed was in inspired form as she destroyed the Pole and booked her place in the final. 

"I'm playing the final, so that's something beautiful. It's like a dream. So I will go just out there and play my best, try to do my best," she said of facing Chinese fourth seed Li Na in Saturday's final.

"Today I was doing everything right," she added. "I was going for my shots. I was just doing everything perfect. Aga (Radwanska) is an unbelievable player and I expected a tough match. I just knew I had to go for my shots."

Li Na will hope that she can win a second Grand Slam title after she secured an equally comfortable victory over teenager Eugenie Bouchard. 

The fourth seed steamrolled the rising Canadian 6-2, 6-4 to continue her stellar form at Melbourne Park where she has now reached three finals, as well as another semi-final and the fourth round over the past five years.

"It is the third time, so pretty close to the trophy," the 31-year-old said, after teaching the ultra-confident Bouchard, 19, a tennis lesson. "At least I'll try to not fall down this time, because last year in the final I think I played well but I only can say (I was) unlucky because I fell down twice."