Victoria Azarenka missed significant time last year due to a foot injury, and the game missed a fierce competitor who never shies from battle against the best on tour. Now, after setbacks and multiple rehabs, she may finally be fully back and close to peak form.

In 2014, Azarenka’s health only allowed entrance into nine tournaments, where her best result after the Australian Open was a quarterfinal run at the US Open. After attempting to return to play, the Belarusian was forced to end her season early in the fall and witnessed her world ranking drop as a result. Now, with that significant drop behind her, her current rise in the rankings to world No. 38 reflects her strong start to the 2015 season.

However, Azarenka’s current ranking does not do her recent level of play justice, since she has made a stronger statement than the ranking indicates. In her three tournaments thus far in 2015, she has most notably defeated Caroline Wozniacki twice, Venus Williams, Angelique Kerber, and Sloane Stephens. Her comeback recently found her in the finals of Doha, where she fell to a red-hot Lucie Safarova. But despite the loss, her run at Qatar highlighted the strength and power most have become accustomed to with Azarenka over the years. This power, particularly from the baseline, has been an anchor to her game, paired with footwork and movement not always displayed by players who strike with such explosiveness. For the first time since her injury, it appears these two elements are finally working at their best and in unison once more.

What was missed in Azarenka’s absence was a fighter who is not intimidated against the best in the world. Despite a lopsided overall record in favor of Serena Williams in their head-to-head, their matches have created intense battles with many of those occurring during a period during the American’s prime, when she was easily grinding through opponents. It is Azarenka’s fighter mentality that has helped her to more recent success against Williams. In their last five meetings, she has won twice with one of her losses coming in a classic three-setter at the 2013 US Open final.

Meanwhile, Azarenka has earned a 7-6 head-to-head record against world No. 2 Maria Sharapova. And while she has never defeated the Russian on clay, her overall success against the five-time major champion could bode well as clay season approaches later in the spring.

With the WTA featuring a number of strong players at the top of the women’s game, a healthy Azarenka can be included in that group. With the heart of the season ahead and numerous top-level tournaments to be played, her return to health only strengthens an already robust WTA.  And with a history of stout efforts against the top two players in the world, Azarenka is poised to be a factor in the weeks to come.