Just three months after returning from a lengthy injury break Croatia’s Jana Fett finds herself contesting the Hobart International tennis semi-finals.

Ligament damage to her wrist meant surgery and time off court, but now the 20-year-old is back and keen to rediscover the form that helped her reach a career-high ranking of 142 in April.

“My wrist is great,” Fett told reporters ahead of her Friday semi-final against fellow tournament qualifier Elise Mertens.

“(Surgeons) put an anchor inside and it’s good now.”

Fett’s road to the final-four included a first-round upset straight-sets victory over former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone.

She has since beaten Queensland qualifier Lizette Cabrera and Paraguay’s Veronica Cepede Royg, both in two sets.

“I played really well before my injury and I think I’m back up there now,” Fett said of her chances of climbing the rankings from her current world No.340.

A powerful serve is spearheading the comeback.

“It has been tough to get my rhythm back – when I just started playing (again) I think I had 15 double faults per match and I didn’t have confidence in my serve and I’ve been working really hard on that.”

Success in Hobart meant both Fett and Mertens missed Thursday’s qualifying round for the Australian Open, with the former admitting she even considered playing badly to lose so she could make it to Melbourne in time.

Her decision to stay has been vindicated.

World No.127 Mertens disposed of Australian Open 19th seed Kiki Bertens to reach the semi-finals.

In the other semi-final Ukranian Lesia Tsurenko is due to meet world No.40 Monica Niculescu.

The Romanian suffered an abdominal strain during her gruelling two-hour quarter-final against Japan’s Risa Ozaki and after play said she hoped to be fit for Friday’s match.