It’s back to the drawing board for Eugenie Bouchard as she looks for an edge to crack her first grand slam title.

The Canadian world No.7 bowed out of the Australian Open on Tuesday, outplayed in the quarter-finals by second-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-2.

Bouchard has compiled an impressive record aged just 20, last year reaching the 2014 Wimbledon final as well as semi-finals in Melbourne and at the French Open.

But taking the step to champion status has proved elusive.

While the popular 20-year-old has lost all four meetings with Sharapova, the manner of the defeat at Melbourne Park this year was most disappointing.

In their last clash in the French Open final four she pushed Sharapova in three tight sets but this time couldn’t mount any real challenge.

Bouchard said she felt on the back foot from the start.

“I felt under pressure the whole time and that’s not how I want to play,” she said.

“I feel like I didn’t start well, and it kind of all went downhill from there.

“I’m never happy with losing and I always want to do better, especially than the year before.”

Bouchard gave Sharapova credit for her pin-point play and her ability to pile on the pressure during key points.

But she said that she didn’t have time to play the match on her own terms and that’s something she needed to improve.

“I didn’t feel like I was kind of dominating the ball like I usually want to.

“I felt like I didn’t have enough time maybe to set up as I normally do.

“I have to be able to get out of my own way, step in, go for it, and when I get my shorter balls, to really finish the point.”