Stuttgart - Venus Williams restored family honours on Thursday with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko in the second round of the Porsche Grand Prix. The sixth-seeded Wimbledon champion recovered swiftly from an early 3-1 deficit as she ousted Bondarenko in 66 minutes for a place in the quarter-finals.
Victory came the day after top-seeded sibling Serena Williams crashed in three sets against China's Li Na, and with it lost the number one ranking to Serb Jelena Jankovic.
"She played really well. She had an early break and I needed to break her back. I felt comfortable on the court," said Williams.
The Russian trio of third seed Dinara Safina, seventh-seeded Vera Zvonareva and 2006 Stuttgart winner Nadia Petrova also advanced on Thursday.
Jankovic was due to complete the second round later against the other Bondarenko sister Alona.
The 54th-ranked Kateryna Bondarenko had a strong start against Williams as she raced off to a 3-1 lead. But the American bounced back immediately and allowed Bondarenko just two more games in the remainder of a now lopsided match.
Williams is playing for the first time in a decade at the tournament and has never made the quarters before.
Her next opponent Safina also needed to come from behind against a qualifier, defeating Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) from 5-3 down in the second set.
"It wasn't an easy match, I didn't play at my best," said Safina, who was playing her first match as the four top seeds had a first-round bye. "I was going for my shots even if I was missing some. I was more aggressive."
Safina was on the verge of quitting tennis early in the year over poor results, but has made a remarkable comeback with four titles, a place in the French Open final and an Olympic silver medal.
Along with Jankovic, Williams and fourth-ranked Elena Dementieva she is in contention for the year-ending number one spot.
The seventh seeded Zvonareva spoilt the 24th birthday of her French opponent Marion Bartoli with a 6-2, 6-0 demolition. The unseeded Petrova ousted Switzerland's Patty Schnyder, 6-4, 6-1.
"I didn't give her a chance to get into the match. I played pretty well and consistent," said Zvonareva.
Zvonareva meets Jankovic or Bondarenko while Petrova faces Li on Friday. The Olympic champ Dementieva meets Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.
