TORONTO - Venus Williams is still winless at the Rogers Cup.
The third-seeded American dropped a 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 decision to Ukraine's Kataryna Bondarenko in a major second-round upset Tuesday at the US$2-million WTA event. Williams, ranked third in the world, got off to a strong start but couldn't sustain it as she fell to 0-3 all-time at the tournament.
Bondarenko, ranked 64th in the world, will face either Agnes Szavay of Hungary or Agnieska Radwanska of Poland in the third round.
"I don't know what to say," an elated Bondarenko said after the game. "I just played my game."
Earlier, 11th-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia rallied from a sluggish start to earn a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova. The 21-year-old Ivanovic, still seeking her first WTA Tour title of the season, overcame seven double faults in the win over Rybarikova, ranked 47th in the world.
"I felt my movement, my shots, everything was working well, but I was trying to play a little too safe, I think," said Ivanovic, who will meet Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic in the second round. "She's a good player, and she was playing really aggressive and dominant.
"So then I tried to change a little bit and be more . . . patient, but still aggressive, and hit the way I was practising. And it worked really well."
Shahar Peer of Israel won the longest match of the tournament, needing more than 2 1/2 hours to get past Monica Niculescu of Romania 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (4).
In other early action, Alla Kudryavtseva of Russia beat Julie Coin of France 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (8) while Safarova got past Estonia's Kaia Kanepi of 6-4, 7-6 (3).
Aleksandra Wozniak of Blainville, Que., the lone remaining Canadian in singles, also takes to the court later Tuesday, facing Russian Alisa Kleybanova.
Wozniak will also take part in a doubles match afterwards.
