With the 2016 season back in full swing and the Australian Open only a couple of weeks away, here are some of the compelling stories to watch as the year unfolds.

Can Serena Regroup and Rebound?

2015 was an extraordinarily successful year for Serena Williams as she came up only a couple of matches short of a calendar year Grand Slam. However, it was also a taxing year that mentally took a toll on the American to the point that she would shut her season down following her loss to Roberta Vinci in the U. S. Open.

Williams enters 2016 bitten by the injury bug. This week, the veteran pulled out of Hopman Cup play with a minor knee injury suffered during practice. Despite not playing at her best during all the majors last season, Williams avoided any injury serious enough to force her out of the respective fortnights as she pursued history. Now 34 years of age, can she do so again this season?

Perhaps even a bigger intangible going into this season is her mental strength after such an intense season. Clearly, the pressure of chasing the Grand Slam and attempting to equal Steffi Graf in career major titles took a lot out of Williams in 2015. Entering this campaign, Williams needs just one major title to equal Graf and three to match Margaret Court at the top. Can Williams regroup and endure the pressures of yet another historic run in 2016?

Bouchard’s Recovery

Genie Bouchard accomplished an unforgettable season in her breakout year of 2014. However, last year was one to forget. The Canadian witnessed her ranking tumble to world No. 49 at season’s end after posting a subpar 12-18 record in singles play.

Yet it appeared signs of previous success were finally resurfacing at the U. S. Open in September, where she made a run to the round of 16. But Bouchard would slip, fall, and strike her head in the locker room after her third-round win over Dominka Cibulkova. Although she would try to come back, the 21-year-old could not overcome concussion-like symptoms and would end her season after a failed attempt in Beijing.

Bouchard would file a lawsuit against the USTA afterwards, stating that she suffered pain and economic losses due to the incident. Whether she can regain the playing ability that made her a WTA star and whether any ramifications will come out of her lawsuit will be two interesting stories to follow this season.

Can Simona Halep finally win a Major?

Simona Halep has been consistently ranked inside the top five and has knocked on the door of a Grand Slam title for a couple of seasons, but she has not been successful. Despite her permanent position near the top of the rankings, Halep has advanced to a major final just once in her career. In 2015, she fell in the first round at Wimbledon and the second round at Roland Garros. Meanwhile, in more successful runs at the U. S. Open and Australian Open, where she advanced to the semifinals and quarterfinals respectively, it appeared that the grueling fortnight may have taken a toll as she offered little resistance in late-round losses.

Currently ranked second in the world, Halep is in a position where her path to a major title would pit her in the opposite bracket from Serena Williams and reduce the number of top players she would need to overcome to earn a maiden major title. Is this the season she finally breaks through?

Can Madison Keys find Consistency in 2016?

After a semifinal run at the 2015 Australian Open, Madison Keys appeared primed to launch herself into the top 10 and among the elite names in the WTA. Gifted with a powerful game that prompted Williams to proclaim that major titles could be in her future, Keys appeared in firm control to propel herself to the next level during the balance of the season. However, the 20-year-old only advanced past the quarterfinals three additional times during the remainder of the year and struggled somewhat down the stretch. Nevertheless, she would finish at a career high ranking of No. 18. Keys enters 2016 having parted ways with coach Lindsay Davenport and now working with former ATP player Jesse Levine. Will she feed off the change this year and continue her rise towards the top? And with Americans such as CoCo Vandeweghe and Madison Brengle rising behind her, will she remain the heiress apparent to the Williams sisters’ throne and become the future top American?

Will Victoria Azarenka return to the Top?

The WTA has a different feel when Victoria Azarenka is at the top of her game. The Belarusian has historically shown the mental fortitude to step up to Serena Williams and the best in the world and refuse to back down. But injuries have hindered her efforts the past couple seasons. Now, appearing healthy and in shape, could this be the year when Azarenka rises to familiar territory among the top players the sport can offer? If early results are a bellwether, Azarenka appears poised to compete for major titles again in 2016. At just 26 years of age and in her prime, this season could be her most important from a health standpoint. If she maintains it, her presence will be felt, and she could shake up draws at the Grand Slams once again.

Bencic and Muguruza after Breakout Seasons

Two young players fired shots across the bow of the WTA vessel in 2015, serving notice that they had arrived. Spaniard Garbine Muguruza and Belinda Bencic of Switzerland both put together exceptional seasons, launching themselves towards the top of the rankings. However, as history has shown, often the follow-up seasons to such breakout years can be difficult. One only needs to rewind to Bouchard’s season of last year for an example. Both players appear to have the physical and mental game to consistently compete for titles. Muguruza showed poise as she advanced to world No. 3, while Bencic showed signs of her youth at times, but she often found the ability to overcome both herself and her opponent en route to the cusp of the top 10. Can either or both of these young women continue to build upon their success this season?

The wonder of Venus

Venus Williams’ resurgence in 2015 was nothing short of sensational. Perpetual questions about her eventual retirement were replaced by those considering her chances of winning another major title. With the combination of her age (now 35) and her well-documented health concerns, very few saw a return to the top 10 from the elder Williams sister. Nonetheless, Venus rose to world No. 7.

After her remarkable season, it seems unfair to once again question how long she can continue to compete at this level. But, as she approaches her 36th birthday, those inquiries will be quick to come if she slips. Whether she can piggyback off such a brilliant season will make for a fascinating story this year.

Czechmates

Three Czechs who are all ranked within the top 11 offer interesting potential for 2016. Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova now competes with the confidence of a Grand Slam winner. Meanwhile, Lucie Safarova has shown the ability to be dangerous on any surface, adding a finals run at Roland Garros last year to a semifinal result at Wimbledon in the previous season. Karolina Pliskova also continued her ascendance in 2015, proving that she is capable of battling with the best, and will look to translate that into success at the majors this season. These three women certainly have the ability to strike on the biggest stages this year.