If you ask Monica Seles or Jennifer Capriati, they might know a thing or two about comebacks. The latest in that trail is Jelena Dokic, who seems to have found her footing after years of mental trauma and family troubles.

Her face, which was a perennial picture of doubt and fear, is suddenly replaced by smiles and eagerness at her current form.

Sania Mirza can take some cues from these women who have endured much, but have managed to prevail against all odds. She was finally back on court after a six month injury lay off. Despite a surgery on her wrist in March last year, she never recovered.

I saw her at the 2008 Stanford WTA event, a warm- up event leading to Olympics and US Open. Sania’s stellar form the previous year saw her in the final, where she lost to Russian Anna Chakvetadze.

But in 2008, Sania was low on confidence and even her money shot – the forehand – seemed to be lost somewhere.

It is her thundering forehand that is believed to be the culprit behind the wrist injury.

Surgery had not rectified the problem and her morale was sinking.

I knew then that the rest of the year would be an uphill task for her. After her withdrawal from her first Olympic match half way, it was clear that her injury was more serious than previously anticipated.

So the time off and the new cell regeneration therapy seems to have paid off. Firstly, rest is sometimes the best medicine. Secondly, time- off does wonders to ones psyche.

Thirdly, the training stint in December with Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna and coach Scott Davidoff is also paying off. She is fitter and has worked to add some power to her serve.

In her comeback match, Sania chose to play an exhibition event in Hong Kong as opposed to playing in WTA tour event in Australia. I think that was the right choice as she had not played a match in six months. The event featured some of the best players in the world, including Venus Williams and Vera Zvonareva, and Sania got some much needed matches without the pressure.

At the Australian Open, she dismissed 61st ranked Marta Domachowska from Poland in the first round. This was not a walk in the park, but Sania looked hungrier and upbeat.

But in the second round, her lack of match practice may have been a factor when she was clearly outclassed by the 5 foot 10 inch Nadia Petrova.

Sania found Petrova’s wing span, combined with penetrating depth on her ground strokes, too hot to handle.

Sania can take solace from the fact that Petrova is ranked no 11, but has even been as high as No. 3 in the world.

I think the Sania camp has started realising the need for a qualified travelling coach on the tour. When she was on song and the results flowed, it may not have mattered. But the odds are not in her favour at present. Sven Groeneveld, ex- coach of Ana Ivanovic, who has also helped Roger Federer on a few occasions, had worked with Sania at the Australian Open. But this is not believed to be a full time venture. Mahesh Bhupathi, Sania’s mixed doubles partner and whose company manages Sania, says that they are on the lookout for a long term coach.

While parents are a huge source of comfort, they cannot take the place of an experienced and top notch coach.

Once that is accomplished, I think the road will look brighter for the Hyderabadi.

For Sania, 2008 is best forgotten and given her strong frame of mind, much can be expected from her in 2009.