Vera Zvonareva saw her first action in approximately 18 months recently after illness and a significant shoulder injury. The former world No. 2 is happy to be back on the court, but can she return to her former form? Time will certainly tell.

After appearances in the 2010 Wimbledon and U. S. Open finals, Zvonareva reached her peak ranking of No. 2 and finished that season behind only Caroline Wozniacki. She defeated elite players from Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka to Kim Clijsters and Jelena Jankovic to earn that ranking. In 2011, her success continued with victories over Serena Williams and Agnieszka Radwanska as she finished the year at No. 7.

However, after hitting her stride as one of the top players, 2012 was not kind to the Moscow native. A series of setbacks derailed Zvonareva, including a recurring hip injury early in the season and a breathing illness that forced her to retire from Wimbledon. Then, after losing to Serena Williams in the London Olympics 6-1 6-0, she did not play again in 2012. After withdrawing from the 2013 Australian Open, Zvonareva revealed that she would require major shoulder surgery.

After months of recovery and rehab, Zvonareva finally returned to action in Shenzhen on the last day of 2013 but drew top seed Li Na and fell in straight sets. Then ranked No. 992, she took a wild card into the Australian Open, only to fall to Casey Dellacqua in the first round, 6-2 6-2.

Zvonareva finally returned to her winning ways last week when she defeated Peangtan Plipuech of Thailand in straight sets at the Pattaya Open, where the Russian was a two-time champion. It was a relief for the 29-year-old.

“I'm just so happy. I haven't expected anything from myself. I just wanted to go out and try to focus, try to fight for every ball,” said Zvonareva. Although she was ousted by her friend Ekaterina Makarova in the following round, she felt that she was finally back.

Now that she has a few matches under her belt to start her comeback, what lies next for Zvonareva? Often, return from injury is as much mental as physical. She is forced to play with her shoulder strapped, which is a reminder of the injury that kept her out of the game for a good portion of her prime. “It's still a little bit mental, obviously, after you have surgery. I know I will never have the same shoulder I had before, so I'll just have to get used to that feeling,” Zvonareva reflected.

Injuries and illness are no stranger to a woman who has overcome similar setbacks in the past. She missed time early in her career in 2005 and 2007 but worked her way back to the top. As a seasoned veteran, however, the risk of aggravating an existing injury tends to run higher. Thus, she will have to overcome her largest hurdle to date to do the same in 2014.

There are stirring examples of players who have made successful returns after major injuries. Look no further than Rafael Nadal, who missed time due to a knee injury but returned only to have arguably the best season of his career, when he returned to world No. 1. Maria Sharapova completed a career Grand Slam by winning Roland Garros in 2012, four years after a major shoulder surgery of her own.

On the other hand, there are others who were not as successful. In 2002, for example, Martina Hingis needed surgery on a ligament in her ankle and was never able to return to her best form or win another major title. At 29 years of age, does Zvonareva have the mental well-being and physical capabilities to return to the player she once was?

Certainly, her goals are clear after a long period of rehab and training. “It is one thing when you have to come back to daily activities, but it is another thing when you want to come back to the high level of professional tennis,” Zvonareva said during the Shenzhen event.

One thing in the Russian’s favor is her ability to fight. Known for her fire on the court, she has never shied from standing toe to toe with the top players in the world. If she looks back at her success of a few seasons ago, she will see an impressive list of champions who fell in her wake. Will she regain the health needed to compete at that level again, and is there still enough sand remaining in her hourglass? These are two questions to ask as Zvonareva's comeback continues in 2014.