Amelie Mauresmo was upset by Alona Bondarenko 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 on Wednesday in the second round of the Zurich Open.
Mauresmo dominated early, taking a 3-1 lead in the first set, but last year's Australian Open and Wimbledon champion fell apart after being broken at 4-4 in the second.
The former top-ranked Frenchwoman, who has struggled since an appendectomy in March, was broken twice in the third set.
"This was my best tennis in a long time," Mauresmo said. "But physically I'm not at my top and it's a question of confidence, too."
"I have to gain confidence by winning matches like this one but it didn't happen. And physically I'm just not at the level I've been the last several years," she said.
Bondarenko, who has won only one WTA Tour title, said she was nervous in the first set.
"But I concentrated on my game instead of the fact I was playing Amelie Mauresmo," the Ukrainian said.
Mauresmo is now looking forward to some rest.
"It's been a tough season for me," Mauresmo said. "Now it's behind me. I'll take a little break before getting back to work because that's what I need."
The 18-year-old Czech Nicole Vaidisova defeated third-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-4, 6-4.
Having played 93 matches this season, Jankovic has recently complained of fatigue. Last week, she retired with heat exhaustion from the first round of the Bangkok Open.
"I'm just tired. I need some rest," Jankovic said.
Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli also advanced to the quarter-finals, beating Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands 6-4, 6-1, and Tatiana Golovin of France upset fifth-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 6-3, 6-1. Francesca Schiavone won her first round match after Elena Dementieva retired with left thigh injury while trailing 4-6, 6-1, 4-2.
It marked only the second time in eight matches that Golovin defeated Ivanovic.
"After that many losses you think, `OK, I've got to change something,'" Golovin said. "So I was patient. She doesn't like long exchanges. And I mixed up my serve and returned well. That destabilized her and she started making mistakes."
In the opening set, Golovin swept the first three games, lost the next three, then won the last three.
In the second, Golovin won five straight games and closed it out when Ivanovic committed her sixth double fault.
"I definitely considered myself a favorite to reach the semi-finals, the final and even to win," Ivanovic said. "I was looking ahead instead of focusing on each game, each point. It was a tough lesson for me today."
Dementieva's withdrawal ended any chance the Russian had of qualifying for the season-ending WTA Championship in Madrid, Spain.
"Obviously I'm very disappointed about the result of the match and disappointed also that I couldn't make it to Madrid," Dementieva said.
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