Roger Federer is just one win away from equalling Pete Sampras's record of 14 Grand Slam titles after storming into the final of the Australian Open today with a brilliant 6-2, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Andy Roddick.

The world No2 gave the seventh seed a tennis masterclass to set up a clash against the winner of tomorrow's all-Spanish semi-final between Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco.

Roddick has only ever beaten Federer in two of their previous 17 meetings - the most recent success coming in Miami last year - and tried everything from drop shots to bullet-like serves to find a way through the Swiss star's armoury. But Federer couldn't be rattled, firing twice as many aces - 16 - as his opponent while some of his passing shots were sublime.

The modest winner said: "I played really solid and I thought the level was high throughout the match.

"I had a couple good games where I served really well in the first set and that gave me a lot of confidence going into the second one. I was moving well and getting a lot of balls back and making it difficult for Andy to get the upper hand from the baseline."

On Sunday, Federer will try to emulate Sampras's haul of Grand Slam titles but he has now matched the American's feat of reaching 18 major finals - one short of the record held by Ivan Lendl.

"I'm very happy and proud about that," said Federer. "It shows how long I've been able to keep it up and stay in good shape and healthy.

"That's really the key for success at the highest of levels."

Although Federer was always in control, Roddick harmed his own cause by losing his cool in the first set after umpire Enric Molina awarded Federer a point in the sixth game when the Swiss used the Hawkeye system to challenge a line call.

The ball, which had been called out, was shown to be in on the television replay and Molina awarded Federer the point, prompting an angry reaction from Roddick, who felt it should have been replayed. Federer eventually won the game to take a 5-1 lead and while Roddick held the next game he was clearly frustrated.

The 26-year-old was eventually beaten in two hours and 17 minutes and admitted: "I hit the ball pretty well but he just came up with shots when he needed to."

Serena Williams and Dinara Safina will fight it out for the women's title and the world No1 ranking after winning their semi-finals today.

Second seed Williams (left) stayed on course for her 10th Grand Slam title with a 6-3, 6-4 win over the in-form Elena Dementieva while third seed Safina beat fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6. Williams was world No1 for four weeks in 2008 and before the tournament began she said one of her targets this year was to regain that ranking from Jelena Jankovic.

Although she has the chance to do that on Saturday, the American insisted: "Right now, that would be just a bonus. My goal isn't to be No1. My goal is to win one more singles match here. All my hard work is paying off.

"I'm excited that I'm playing really consistently at least making it to the finals of Grand Slams. Safina's playing well and she's going to be tough."

The American had lost her last three clashes against Dementieva, who came into the semi-final unbeaten in 15 matches in 2009. But Williams said it was her serve that proved decisive.

"It's so important to serve well against her," she said. "She's a good returner. I moved better and kept my cool."

Safina took one hour 46 minutes to beat seventh seed Zvonareva and the French Open finalist is thrilled to be given the chance to be the world's top player. "To fight for the No1 spot is unbelievable," said the sister of double Grand Slam champion Marat Safin.

In the girls' singles, Britain's Laura Robson reached the semi-finals after her opponent, No4 seed Elena Bogdan, pulled out with an ankle injury.

The 15-year-old fifth seed, who has yet to drop a set in Melbourne, was leading 6-3, 2-5 when the Romanian quit.

Robson will now face top seed, Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, of Thailand, who she beat in last year's Wimbledon girls' final.

However, Guernsey's ninth seed, Heather Watson, was beaten 6-3, 7-5 by Russian third seed Ksenia Pervak.