The final game of the set saw Williams put a lot of pressure on Sharapova for the break, eventually converting her 4th break point in the game to take the set 6-4.
An ultra-competitive opening set eventually gave way to a landslide as the world No. 1 rolled to a 6-4, 6-1 win over Maria Sharapova to advance to the Australian Open semifinals.
"When you're playing someone like that you have to come out with your own fire and intensity".
At 34 years, 176 days, Federer is the oldest Aussie Open semifinalist since Colin Dibley in 1979.
The signs are not good for Radwanska, despite her convincing 6-1, 6-3 win over Spanish 10th seed Carla Suarez on Rod Laver Arena. With Steffi Graf's Open-era record of 22 major titles within sight at the Australian Open, and Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24 on the horizon, she has no plans to hang up her racquet.
Sharapova has won five majors, including the 2008 Australian title, and has been in three other finals at Melbourne Park.
The world number one, who has not lost to Sharapova in 12 years, now faces fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska.
Maria Sharapova has vowed to head "back to the drawing board" to formulate a plan to defeat the explosive game of reigning champion Serena Williams.
Sharapova broke to open the match but Williams held in the third game and broke back to level at 2-2.
But Williams held in the third game, closing with an ace after it went to deuce, and then broke to tie it, 2-2.
Sharapova's first-serve percentage was falling and she went 0-40 down in the seventh game before showing grit to fend off the break points and claw back. Sharapova remain resilient, saving three set points with a two big second serves and a forehand into the net from Serena, before finally losing the fourth break point.
Federer and Djokovic have played 44 times with the wins split equally between them, although the Serbian won their meetings in finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open a year ago.
French Open champion Wawrinka was the only man to beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic in a Grand Slam match a year ago - the final at Roland Garros - and the last man to beat him at Melbourne Park after 2010. The Russian stood firm on the baseline by taking balls early and keeping her opponent on her heels. "I think since the beginning of (this) tournament she plays very well". You don't need to spend words on his achievements - he is a great champion and someone I have a lot of respect for. "I'm going to do my best, and I have nothing to lose", she said.
"It was super intense", the 21 Grand Slam victor reflected later. I like sushi. I've never met a tennis player that hates sushi. "She makes you work, and that's inspiring".
Federer found the target with almost 70 percent of his first serves and won 83 percent of those points, hit 48 winners and made only 26 unforced errors to smother the sixth seed in two hours and 16 minutes.
"I don't have to win this tournament or any other tournament for as long as I live".
Iran says new USA economic sanctions over missile test are 'illegitimate'
The new US Treasury sanctions prevent 11 entities and individuals linked to the programme from using the US banking system. On Saturday, US President Barack Obama signed an executive order lifting US economic sanctions on Iran .
