Olympic champion Mack Horton has avoided China's Sun Yang in the 400m freestyle heats but remains on a collision course with the controversial Chinese star at the world swimming championships in Budapest on Sunday.
On the opening morning of the eight-day titles, Horton finished third in his heat behind winner and fellow Australian David McKeon to be fifth fastest for Sunday night's 400m gold medal race at Duna Arena.
Horton did not line up against his nemesis, defending world champion Sun, who qualified second fastest for the final in the earlier heat.
However, the pair will renew their bitter rivalry in the medal race after fireworks at the Rio Olympics.
Horton caused a sensation on Olympic debut when he dismissed Sun as a "drug cheat" and then upset the defending champion in the 400m gold medal race.
Round two in Hungary has already been dubbed "the War on Water II".
After Sunday's heat, Horton couldn't help but have another dig at Sun who served a three-month suspension for testing positive to a banned stimulant in 2014.
Horton raced beside South Korea's Park Tae-hwan - who was banned for testing positive to testosterone in 2014 - in his heat.
Asked about racing Sun and Park in the final, Horton said: "I think everyone knows how I feel about them.
"I just want to race the clock and see how fast I can go."
McKeon was third fastest for the 400m final.
Meanwhile, Australia's 4x100m freestyle women's team will be out to extend their dominance without Cate Campbell in Sunday night's final.
Despite resting big guns Emma McKeon and world champion Bronte Campbell, Australia still qualified third fastest for the medal race.
The Aussie women's sprint relay team - which has won every international final since 2014 - is without world record holder Cate Campbell, who is taking a 2017 sabbatical.
The new-look Australian men's 4x100m relay team - without Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers (heart) - were also impressive, qualifying second fastest for Sunday night's final ahead of heavyweights the United States.
In Sunday night's other final, 16-year-old Ariarne Titmus - one of the Dolphins team's 13 rookies - will take on world record holder Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle after qualifying third fastest.
The teenager showed no nerves beside Ledecky in her morning heat, clocking a personal best four minutes, 04.26 seconds on international debut.
Olympic and defending champion Ledecky was almost three seconds ahead of her nearest rival.
And Emma McKeon - Australia's most decorated Rio swimmer with four medals - won her heat and equalled a personal best 56.81 seconds to be third fastest for Sunday night's 100m butterfly semi-finals.
Olympic champion and world record holder, Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom, topped the timesheets.
"That felt pretty easy. That gives me confidence for the rest of the week," said McKeon, contesting a six event program this week.
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