Kim Clijsters will continue her Australian Open defence without knowing the precise nature of the ankle problem she suffered in her fourth round match against Li Na.
Clijsters powered her way into the final four of the year's first Grand Slam with a straight-sets win over world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki on Tuesday, but had spent the previous two days nursing the injury she picked up early in the match against Li.
She revealed she had refused to get a scan on the injury and would continue to ice, rest and medicate for the remainder of her campaign at Melbourne Park.
"I already had a scan on my neck a couple days ago. I said, No more. Whatever it is, it is. I'm going to try to make the best out of it. Then we'll see when I get home how I'm feeling," she said.
"I have seen more hospitals these last six months than anything, so no more for me."
She said she couldn't afford the luxury of focussing on Wozniacki in the 48 hours between her matches, instead getting into a routine to make sure she was fit to take her place.
"Instead of really focusing on the match you're focusing on trying to get the ankle as good as possible," she said.
"Laying on the couch, every 20 minutes ice, 20 minutes off, 20 minutes ice, 20 minutes off. Leg elevated. Lymphatic drainage, all that stuff. I mean, treatment and I had a light hit yesterday without really sidewards movement, just try to get a feel for the ball, and then back to the icing and all that same routine all over again."
She said she felt as good as could be expected after a 105-minute hit out in 35 degree heat and was confident she would be fine to progress.
"I'm very happy with the way that I was able to move. It was so hot out there, as well, so today it was really tough. I think one of the toughest conditions I've ever played in. But it was good to win that in two sets at the end," she said.
"I don't know if that's a good way of saying it, but it's about wisely trying to not do crazy things. It was good not to use too much energy in the heat, but also just with my foot trying to always positioning it straight."
"I like rotate with my foot on the ground, that's what I'm trying to be careful with, because the ligaments, you know, are definitely a little bit hurt."
"So I have to try to make sure my foot is always in the right position."
Clijsters is already plotting her route to another Australian Open final, saying she was looking forward to playing Belarus' Victoria Azarenka in the semi-finals.
"Tough player. Tough match. She's playing extremely well, playing with a lot of confidence, and she's going to be a completely different match than what I was up against today. Takes a lot more initiative. You know, hits a lot down the middle of the court, deep, hard," the Belgian said.
"So it's going to be very important to be dominant. You know, she's improved a lot on her fitness and her movement, which was definitely a weakness in the past. She's worked on that, so she's becoming a more and more complete player."
"I'll have to play some of my best tennis to try and beat her."