Hurt Sharapova bloodied but unbowed

The intensity is there, the serve is improving with each match and the determination to win never waned as Maria Sharapova quietly works her way back to where she belongs - competing for Grand Slam titles.

Sharapova is still finding her feet at the top level after shoulder surgery, and watching her battle in a three-set loss to Justine Henin at Roland Garros on Sunday it was easy to forget that the French Open is the only major to have eluded her.

The Russian 12th seed was wrapped in her own bubble of thought in the gusty conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier; her fist clenched intensely between points, her eyes sternly looking for inspiration in the strings of her racket.

But it was not enough against the four-time champion from Belgium, who won their one-set shootout after the match had been interrupted by darkness on Saturday evening.

"I know the things that hurt me a little bit today. I just really want to go out on that court and just work on them a little bit more, because I know that they will help me a little bit more in the future," she said after the 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 third-round defeat.

"I definitely played some good tennis, but it wasn't enough to win the match. At the end of the day, no matter how good or bad you play, she's the one with the W (win)."

Her game may not have ascended former heights yet but her ability to command a room certainly remains undiminished.

At 6ft 2ins, a sea of journalists over whom she towered parted silently to allow her to take her place at the press conference table, sporting a sleek black tracksuit and hair tightly combed back.

"I've been serving much better and my arm has been feeling good," the former Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open champion told them.

"I don't think the conditions really favoured that drive through the ball and the serve as much as it would have been on a warmer day where it would have gone through the court a bit more.

"Sometimes you have to be ready to hit millions of balls, and it's not just about the serve. The game is becoming better and bigger, and the girls are getting faster. The game itself is getting better."

Her clay season over, her focus switched to the tournament that propelled her to the international limelight when she won it in 2004, Wimbledon.

"This part of the season is one of my favorites, going into the grass. I certainly love this time of year.

"As long as I'm healthy on the court and I'm working my way towards what I want to improve, which I feel like I've done maybe in the last three weeks since my elbow is feeling better, then I've got a real good shot."