Injured star Kim Clijsters is refusing more medical updates in case they derail her defence of her Australian Open title.

Clijsters battled through searing heat and an ongoing ankle injury to reach the semi-finals with a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) win over Dane Caroline Wozniacki.

She meets Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, who fought back to defeat Pole Agnieszka Radwanska 6-7 (0-7) 6-0 6-2.

The Belgian said her ongoing ankle niggle meant she was diverted from mentally preparing properly for the match.

“Instead of really focusing on the match, you’re focusing on trying to get the ankle as good as possible,” Clijsters 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,” she said.

But she plans to play on without knowing any more about her condition, refusing more scans.

“I already had a scan on my neck a couple days ago,” she said.

“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.

“I have seen more hospitals these last six months than anything, so no more for me.”

Clijsters was cruising against Wozniacki at 6-3 5-2 before facing a fightback which meant the pair were locked in a tiebreak.

“I just had to try to be a little bit more dominant again,” Clijsters said.

“She stepped her game up and started serving better in that second set.

“It was important to just stay focused one point at a time and to, whenever you felt like you could, go for that winner.

“It was so hot out there. Today was one of the toughest conditions I’ve ever played in,” she said.

Two years ago, Azarenka admitted she did not have the will or tenacity that drove her into the Australian Open semi-finals.

In fact, she admitted she probably wouldn’t have bothered too much attempting a comeback after the sort of first set rout she endured against Radwanska.

But in one of the most remarkable turnarounds in a match here this year, Azarenka, who lost the opening set tiebreaker 0-7, rebounded to capture the second 6-0.

Reinvigorated, she then dominated the third to engineer a passage past the quarter-finals.

Azarenka put down her comeback win to a change in mentality.

“I think I am a different player right now, especially mentally-wise,” she said.

“Maybe two years ago, I would be like, okay, it’s not working today. I’m going to try, but we’ll see how it goes.

“Today, I really tried to forget about the first set and start from zero and really fight hard, really take it one at a time and keep going.”

She was quick to point out she was still trying to become consistently strong mentally.

“I think that’s toughest thing out there. Especially, weather is tough. Your mind is sometimes boiling and it’s difficult to think.

“Plus you have somebody on the opposite side that is making you a little bit crazy, and you have to keep it together,” she said.