Melbourne VIC, Australia, 13 November 2014 | tennis.com.au

Jarmila Gajdosova is in the running to win the WTA’s Comeback Player of the Year Award after a stunning rise following her illness-marred 2013 season.

The Australian has been nominated for the award alongside Maria Sharapova, Garbine Muguruza, Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, Timea Bacsinszky and Heather Watson.

> vote for Gajdosova now!

Gajdosova, who missed six months of 2013 due to debilitating mononucleosis, fell as low as world No.334 in March this year, but stormed home to finish the season inside the world’s top 75.

She even rose as high as No.66 after a season that begat two ITF titles, a quarterfinal at the WTA event in Hong Kong and successful qualification for six tournaments.

Beginning with her victory as a qualifier at the ITF $50,000 event in Nottingham in June – which scored her a Wimbledon main draw wildcard – Gajdosova went on a tear, building a win-loss record of 29-9.

Gajdosova joins compatriot Casey Dellacqua as another WTA award nominee; Dellacqua has been nominated for the WTA Most Improved Player Award.

Voting for the WTA Comeback Player of the Year Award closes on Tuesday 18 November – the winner will be announced the next day.