What Maria Sharapova's Loss to Serena Williams Means for 2015 French Open

Maria Sharapova fell short of her sixth career Grand Slam title on Saturday as she was ousted in the final of the 2015 Australian Open by nemesis Serena Williams, which means her focus now shifts toward the French Open.

Vincent Thian/Associated Press

Sharapova's awful run against Williams continues following Saturday's 6-3 7-6(5) defeat. She has not beaten her in 11 years, dating back to 2004, per Adam Shergold of the MailOnline.

Yet the 27-year-old star had entered Melbourne with lofty expectations. She hadn't won the Aussie Open since 2008, but seemed poised to potentially change that having played some excellent tennis during the lead up to the tournament.

Sharapova opened the 2015 season in style by winning the Brisbane International over Ana Ivanovic. According to WTA on Twitter, that continued an impressive streak for the Russian star:

With so much momentum working in her favor, Sharapova was in great position to make some noise at the Australian Open. Not only was a title in her sights, but so was the No. 1 ranking in the world.

As seen in this tweet from Ben Rothenberg of The New York Times, there were some very realistic scenarios on the table for Sharapova to overtake Williams for that top spot:

After winning the Brisbane International, Sharapova reflected upon how far she had come to get within striking distance of No. 1, per Linda Pearce of The Sydney Morning Herald.

"

Right now I am No.2; the next spot is one. But that's how it is. Middle of last year people were talking about how I was barely in the top 10 for, I think, four months. With any match I could have lost, could have been out of the top 10. But I held my ground and I pulled through with grit and fight and managed to finish the year off No.2.

"

While Sharapova is still most definitely among the world's best players, she must now overcome the disappointment of falling short in the Australian Open once again.

She will have plenty of time to recover and refocus before the French Open commences at Roland Garros in May. Sharapova will certainly need that time since the transition to clay-court play can often be difficult.

With that said, Sharapova has thrived on clay over the past few seasons, which is surprising considering the fact it was once her worst surface.

She has learned how to move effectively on it and has also figured out how to use her power to her advantage.

Sharapova is the reigning French Open champion, and she has won the title two out of the past three years. She was a finalist in 2013 as well, so it is quite clear she now feels comfortable on clay.

The French Open has quickly become Sharapova's best chance for a Grand Slam championship on a yearly basis, and that remains true regardless of her Australian Open result.

She may lament falling short in Melbourne for a little while, but she ultimately figures to be focused and ready to defend her French Open title in May.

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