Ousted Sharapova stays defiant on Slam chances

MELBOURNE, Australia - Former world No 1 Maria Sharapova shrugged off her failure to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals on Sunday, saying she still believes she can increase her tally of five Grand Slam titles.

The 31-year-old Russian was competitive during periods of her fourth-round clash with local hope Ashleigh Barty but ultimately lost in three sets after her serve fell apart mid-match.

Sharapova insisted she is still a Grand Slam contender, despite struggling with a shoulder injury and facing a new generation of players eager for success at the majors.