There was a joke doing the rounds at Melbourne Park last night that the best thing that could happen for Andy Murray might be that his wife Kim goes into labour now, so that he is spared the nightmare of facing Novak Djokovic again here at the Australian Open.

Thankfully that is unlikely to be the kind of thinking that will be creeping into Murray’s head over the next 24 hours. Instead, the Scot will be plotting the downfall of a man who has been nigh unbeatable in the grand slams in the past two years.

Moreover, it is world No 1 Djokovic who has stopped Murray from winning the Australian Open three times before, in 2010, 2011, 2013 and last year, when he led by a break in the third set, having split the first two, only to fade badly in the closing stages.

This time, though he will have had 24 hours less than Djokovic to recover from his semi-final efforts, Murray will believe that he has the game, the mind and the fitness to get the job done.

One thing he won’t do is give up. With his wife due to have their first child some time in the next couple of weeks, it would have been easy for Murray to let things slip when he trailed the Canadian, Milos Raonic, by two sets to one in the semi-final here yesterday.

But Murray stayed strong, regrouped and as Raonic’s body let him down in the last two sets, with an adductor strain slowing down his giant serve, the world No 2 ran through the fifth set in double-quick time for his 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 victory.

It has been a triumphant return for Murray’s coach Amelie Mauresmo, who came back into the Murray camp after just four months away following the birth of her first child, Aaron, in August.

With everything going on at home and off the court here over the fortnight, the Frenchwoman has been instrumental in keeping Murray focused.

“I think he still believes that he can lift the trophy here on the last day in this tournament, so definitely he will go in believing that,” Mauresmo said.

“Definitely Novak is playing some great tennis for a year now and still this tournament, even though he had a tough fourth round against (Gilles) Simon.

“He then regrouped pretty well against Kei (Nishikori) and against Roger (Federer) last night so it's a very big task for Andy but I think he believes he can do it and we will try to find a way.”

The experience of losing in the final four times before would be something that could inspire him, rather than fill him with dread, former world No 1 Mauresmo said.

“Maybe it got to him (each final loss) but it didn't break him,” she said. “So now he comes back even stronger each time believing that he can do it.

“He's been in the last spot a few times and he's really putting a lot of effort to try to get the trophy on Sunday so hopefully we can help him the best we can.”

This will be Murray’s ninth grand slam final with his two wins, at the US Open in 2012 and at Wimbledon in 2013, flanked by six defeats.

It is a record Murray is determined to improve but Mauresmo admitted that beating Djokovic, especially on a court where he has won five Australian Open titles, will be incredibly difficult.

“He does everything so well,” she said. “His consistency is incredible and he's capable of also raising the level towards the end of grand slams, the way he's been doing it the last few times.

“It is obviously right now the biggest task in tennis to beat him in a grand slam final. But Stan (Wawrinka) did it last year, so we have to be inspired from that as well.”

Britain’s Davis Cup captain, Leon Smith, believes the shorter recovery period will not damage Murray’s chances in a match that starts tomorrow night at 7.30pm local time (8.30am UK time).

“That is why he trains so hard,” Smith said. “He has got so much experience of having to come through semis and play finals in slams.

“That is what he does. That is what he has been doing for the last decade.

“He has certainly got the physical capabilities to come out on Sunday and fight for everything.

Murray, who was broken just once in the match, has now won 18 of his past 22 matches to go five sets, a remarkable record, testament to his mental and physical fitness.

Raonic was more than a handful for three sets but once Murray had come through some tough moments to level at two sets apiece and with Raonic feeling his injury, there was only one winner.

With Jamie Murray due to play his doubles final at around 10am UK time today, it is the first time two brothers have made the singles and doubles finals in any grand slam event in the Open era.

“Both my parents will be extremely proud, I’m sure,” Murray said. “There are not many tennis players that have come out of Scotland.

“I never expected to be doing this. Neither of our parents would have expected us to be here so for both of us to be in a slam final at the same time is pretty incredible and hopefully he can get the win tomorrow.”