World No.2 Rafael Nadal has dismissed any concerns about the knee injury that earlier this week had threatened to derail his Australian Open campaign.
The 25-year-old Spaniard revealed after his opening-round win over American Alex Kuznetsov that he had feared he'd have to withdraw from the event before it had even begun when he suffered the injury on Sunday.
Sitting in his hotel room he suddenly felt sharp pain in his knee which then locked up after he twice tried to stretch it out, forcing the 10-time Grand Slam champion to undergo an ultrasound and an MRI.
The tests showed no damage and he received intensive treatment for the rest of the day before going out and brushing Kuznetsov aside.
Since then Nadal has beaten German veteran Tommy Haas and Slovakian qualifier Lukas Lacko to progress to the fourth round, and he said after Friday's 6-2 6-4 6-2 defeat of Lacko he has no worries with his knee now.
"The knee is fine, that's (the) important thing," Nadal said.
"The match was a really complete match, a really solid one."
"(I'm) very happy about my game."
"Being in (the) fourth round without losing a set, it's fantastic news."
Asked if he feels like has had a comfortable progression to the last 16, the 2009 champion put his victories down to his own strong form.
"I am playing well (and) if you are playing well, things can be a little bit less difficult," he added.
"I played both matches, three matches at (a) very good level."
"Today was one of the best, solid, without mistakes, comfortable with the serve, having good return."
Asked about a potential fourth-round match-up against American John Isner, if he gets past Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez, Nadal said he'd prefer not to have to play him.
"He's this kind of player that must be in the top, in my opinion, because there is no one reason why he is not in the top 13 of the world, top 14 of the world," Nadal said of Isner.
"(He has a) fantastic serve, (his) movement ... is very good, and he has (a) fantastic forehand."
"I don't know why last year, especially the first part of the year, he didn't play very well, because he has everything to be there (among the top players)."
"I know he's one of the opponents that you don't want to meet against."