Maria Sharapova: 5 Reasons Sharapova Must Win Australian Open 2012

Maria Sharapova is coming into the Australian Open looking strong, currently ranked No. 4 in the world.

Her time is now, and she needs to bring home her first slam title since 2008.

There's no guarantee of success for the 24-year-old Russian, as she has struggled to make much noise as of late.

Still, she comes into every tournament as one of the favorites, only to often struggle after a few rounds.

Sharapova needs this title more then ever.

Here's why.

She Needs to Prove Her Ranking

The last time Sharapova was at the Australian Open, she was ranked No. 18 in the world to start out the 2011 season.

She improved her game and fought back into the top 10 for the first time since 2008.

She went from there to have a strong showing at Wimbledon, making the final to only lose to Petra Kvitová—her potential semifinal opponent in this first slam event of the season.

She didn't bounce back well when she got back stateside, but she had enough points to push her up to No. 4 in the world.

She fell apart at the US Open, getting knocked out in the third round as the fourth seed.

She will have a chance to redeem herself in this tournament, and she really needs to after failing to prove that she is once again elite.

Her Time Is Running Up

While Maria Sharapova is only 24 years old, she's entering her 11th year on the pro tour. 

The women's side of tennis is so fluid, that you really have to stay on top of your game to continue to be competitive.

It's only a matter of time before another young star comes in and potentially takes a title from under many of the veterans' feet.

Sharapova is coming in with a good seeding and the chance to claim the title here down under.

If she doesn't, her opportunities will continue to grow more slim with each passing season.

Reestablishing Herself Against Serena Williams

With Serena Williams being outside of the top 10, she found herself in Maria Sharapova's bracket.

If these two were to meet in the quarterfinals, it would be the first time that the Russian would really be considered the favorite.

Williams has always been a difficult obstacle for Sharapova, but she may be in better shape than the five-time Australian Open champion.

A win over Williams would really propel Sharapova into the right direction, and it would make her the clear-cut favorite to win this tournament going into the semifinals.

Both players have a long road to get there, but this match would be an important one for Sharapova to get past as this is a roadblock in her career.

She Needs a Slam Title

In her 11-year career, Maria Sharapova has only managed to claim three Grand Slam titles.

The last time she won one was in 2008, when she took home the Australian Open. In that final, she knocked off Ana Ivanović while not dropping a set though the entire open.

While she is far from that type of dominance, Sharapova is definitely in need of claiming another slam tournament as her own. 

If one ignores her disappointing 2010 season, Sharapova is due a slam title.

She has won one in 2004, 2006 and 2008. Will 2012 be her year? That remains to be seen.

She Could Return to No. 1

If Maria Sharapova wins the Australian Open, she could potentially return to No. 1 in the world.

The only thing that stands in her way is if current world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki makes the final. Even if Sharapova were to defeat her, the points that Wozniacki would get would still put her ahead since she lost in last year's semifinals.

Sharapova wouldn't have to worry about world No. 2 Petra Kvitova, as they would have already faced one another in the semifinals.

World No. 3 Victoria Azarenka could make the final against Sharapova as well, but they're close enough in points that Sharapova would still jump her for the top spot.

This is perhaps her last chance to make it back to the top. Anything less will just increase the difference in points, putting her farther away from the top.