Wawrinka had never previously taken his compatriot to five sets on the surface but put in a battling display in losing 7-5 6-3 1-6 4-6 6-3.

The result denied the 2014 champion progression to the final, where Federer will take on the winner of the second semi between Rafael Nadal and Grigor Dimitrov.

"I don't know what to say. I cannot just be happy to win two sets against Roger. I just lost a five-set match in the semi-finals of the Australian Open," he said.

"I never think about the past or what I did before. I'm proud of myself, of the fight I gave and all through the tournament. I think there is a lot of positives from this tournament, from Brisbane, from the month already.

"For sure I'm really sad and disappointed with a loss like that because to be that close to have won a semi-final, it can be only sad.

"But at the end I know I tried everything on the court. I came from two sets down. I changed completely the momentum. I started to be extra aggressive because I had to change a few things also physically. So I changed my game with that.

"In the end I had a great battle against Roger. He's a great fighter. He's always been amazing in grand slams, in five-set matches. I'm for sure sad to lose a match like that.

"But, yeah, I know there are a lot of positives."

Wawrinka has been carrying a knee injury in Melbourne but refused to blame the issue for his failure to reach the final.

"It's been for sure an issue since the beginning of the tournament. That's for sure. Then again, it's not an excuse at all," he explained.

"I always try to fight on the court, to find a solution. I made the semi-finals. I had the chance to win. I had some opportunities in the fifth set.

"I go on the court with what I have on the day. I give everything. What exactly I have [in terms of an injury], I have to check. Really I have to do some bigger tests when I get home."