Women's Tennis: Is Ana Ivanovic Poised for a Complete Comeback in 2012?

Since her French Open win and time at the top of the WTA rankings back in 2008, the years since have been full of ups and downs for Ana Ivanovic. However, a win over third-ranked Vera Zvonareva at this week's China Open marked a significant milestone: her first victory over a top-five player since that magical season.

With that achievement, or monkey off her back, can she sustain the momentum and get back in the top 10 again? Or even back into the top five?

It might be too soon to start looking so far ahead. After all, the Serbian star has only won two titles since her initial taste of Grand Slam glory: Linz in 2008 and 2010. That stat alone wouldn't exactly peg her as a world-beater.

But if this year has shown anything, with three players (Li Na, Petra Kvitova and Samantha Stosur) breaking through for Major titles almost out of nowhere, it's that the titles are there for the taking. This could do a lot for the confidence of a player like Ivanovic, who has seen and been through a lot in her years on the tour.

Another factor that could play well in Ivanovic's favor is that she is still young, even in tennis years: She's a few weeks away from turning 24, which is around the time when most athletes start hitting their peak. Physically, the age is key, but there are also mental benefits to being on the other side of 20.

Being able to quickly decipher what the younger players are doing, as well as knowing what adjustments to make to take them out of their rhythm, will serve her well.

While Ivanovic has been on tour for years now, over the past couple of years, she hasn't played as many matches as she did early on, having to take time off due to injury or, to be blunt, because of early-round losses. Fewer matches equates to less wear-and-tear on the legs: the most valuable tools for any tennis player.

So provided that she stays healthy and keeps in her mind that she can compete with the game's elite (before her win over Zvonareva in China, she knocked off two-time Slam winner Svetlana Kuznetsova the round prior), 2012 can be a breakout year (again) for Ivanovic.