Apart from a humidity level that some players say is the worst they've ever played in, it's perfect playing conditions out there, with the temperature having dropped a little after the downpour on Sunday that forced organizers to cancel most of the matches on the schedule.

Nadal, making his Olympic singles debut, should have closed the match earlier but suffered a second set slump to Starace, who is ranked 74th in the world and trailing behind 4-0 against Nadal in career before the match.

The 22-year-old Spaniard eased through the first set 6-2 over Starace in 39 minutes, which was quick by his standards, but the Italian snaffled the second set after breaking Rafael's opening serve, the first set won by the Italian in all previous meetings against Rafael.

Here are the results of the men's singles

Victor Hanescu (Rom) - Simone Bolelli (Ita) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4

Nicolas Kiefer (Ger) - Max Mirnyi (Bel) 6-3, 6-1

Olivier Rochus (Bel) - Ivo Minar (Cze) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3

Mikhail Youzhny (Rus) - Jiri Vanek (Cze) 6-4, 6-1

David Nalbandian (Arg) - Zeng Shaoxuan (Chn) 6-2, 6-1

Nicolas Massu (Chile) - Steve Darcis (Bel) 6-4, 7-5

Marin Cilic (Cro) - Juan Monaco (Arg) 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3

Thomas Johansson (Swe) - Jarkko Nieminen (Fin) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4

Paul-Henri Mathieu (Fra) - Nicolas Lapentti (Ecu) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2

Simon Gilles (Fra) - Robin Soderlin (Swe) 6-4, 6-4

Kevin Anderson (RSA) - Komlavi Loglo (Tog) 6-3, 6-2

Rafael Nadal (Spa) - Potito Starace (Ita) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2

Roger Federer (Swi) - Dmitry Tursunov (Rus) 6-4, 6-2

Andreas Seppi (Ita) - Tommy Robredo (Spa) 6-4, 4-6, 8-6