The world number two prevailed 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-2 in four hours and three minutes at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena to set up a repeat of last year’s final.

"It was tough in that third set," said Murray, the Olympic champion who has been a runner-up in the event on four previous occasions.

"In the tie-break he didn't miss a single serve and it is frustrating when you don't get a say in the points.

"Over the match, I got a better read on his serve and that was crucial."

Despite ultimately claiming victory, Murray made the worst possible start to his sixth Australian Open semi-final with 13th seed Raonic breaking him in the first game of the match.

The 28-year-old Scotsman then let three break points come and go on his Canadian opponent’s serve to fall 2-0 behind and he was unable to prevent the first set from slipping away.

Raonic, who was unbeaten in 2016 after his Brisbane Open victory earlier this month, held off two breaks in the second set but he rarely threatened on the serve of Murray, who took the second set 7-5.

The third set saw five games won to love and it was no surprise that it went to a tie-break, during which big-serving Raonic raced into a three-point lead before winning it with his 13th ace of the contest.

With Raonic sensing a first Grand Slam final of his career, and the first for a Canadian, Murray held his nerve and ensured the match went to a deciding set by breaking late in the fourth to take it 6-4. 

The 6ft 5in Raonic appeared to be struggling with injury and fatigue by that point, and having returned to the court following a medical time-out before the start of the fifth, he was no match for Murray who comfortably took the decisive set 6-2.

The result means Murray and older sibling Jamie have become the first brothers in the Open era to reach the finals in both the men's singles and men's doubles events at a Grand Slam.

Jamie Murray and Brazil’s Bruno Soares will play Canada’s Daniel Nestor and Radek Štěpánek in the doubles final tomorrow.

The women’s doubles final took place today as Switzerland’s Martina Hingis and India’s Sania Mirza made it three Grand Slam wins in a row by beating Czech duo Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 at Melbourne Park.

The top seeds, who won at both Wimbledon and the US Open last year, will be aiming for a clean sweep at the French Open.