Andy Murray wasted little time advancing his quest for a second gold medal on Tuesday at the Rio Olympics. The top Brit, who took gold in London in 2012, used only 69 minutes to get past Argentine Juan Monaco 6-3, 6-1.

The 29 year old broke Monaco five times and benefited from the Tandil native’s 26 unforced errors. Murray also was effective with both of his serves. He actually won a higher percentage of points with his second offering, 78 per cent (14/16), compared to 70 per cent (16/23) with his first serve.

Murray will face Fabio Fognini in the third round. The Italian came back to beat 16^th seed Benoit Paire of France 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5). Fognini, who lost in the first round in London in 2012, broke Paire at 5-4 in the second set to even the match. In the third set, Paire had a match point on Fognini’s serve at 5-4 but, after seven deuces, Fognini held. He’d eliminate Paire on his third match point to finish the 67-minute third set.

Rafael Nadal remained unbeaten in Rio. The third seed overcame 42 unforced errors to beat Italian Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-3. Nadal will next play 15^th seed Gilles Simon, who prevailed against Japan’s Yuichi Sugita 7-6(3), 6-2. Simon landed only 51 per cent of his first serves but won 62 per cent of his second serves. Nadal leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 7-1 and has taken their past five match-ups. Simon last beat the Spaniard in 2008 on the clay at the Mutua Madrid Open.

Nadal’s countryman David Ferrer was not as fortunate. The seventh seed fell to Russian Evgeny Donskoy 3-6, 7-6(1), 7-5 in two hours and 28 minutes. The 34 year old had two match points at 5-4 in the third set but Donskoy erased them both and later served out the set. In the third round, Donskoy will face American Steve Johnson, who beat Portugal’s Gastao Elias 6-3, 6-4.

Belgium’s David Goffin continued his best Olympics run with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Israel’s Dudi Sela. Goffin, who lost in the first round in London, will meet 11^th seed Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay or Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, who play on Tuesday evening.

I missed a flight? 

I was going to Barcelona, starting in Moscow. It was four years ago. It isn’t very normal that this happens to me. I think it was the only time it happened.

I lost something important?

I lose things all the time, but I get them back. The passport, the wallet… I’ve been lucky because there’s always someone that finds them for me, otherwise I just remember where I left them.

I paid money to rent a tennis court or buy tennis balls? 

Every time I go to Ukraine I pay for the court and for the balls. If it’s winter it is more expensive because it is indoor. Normally, I pay five-to-ten dollars per hour, and almost 150 dollars for the box of balls. Sometimes I get a discount, but I almost always pay regular price.

Being famous help me?

Sometimes it happens that in the airport they recognise me and help me to avoid paying for extra luggage. Once in Miami, I didn’t have to wait in line because the one attendant played tennis and recognised me. I passed straight through. These little favours are always welcomed, but they don’t happen very often.

I strung a tennis racquet?

Ten years ago, when I was starting to play Futures and when I was junior. I used to do it. I was good at it.

I cooked for myself and others?

It happens, not too much in the last months but it can happen frequently. When I’m not lazy, I start cooking. I like doing pancakes, meat and salads. I’m not very good at making soups.

I met a childhood idol?

I don’t have many idols. Maybe I was always surrounded by great players. I admire people for their accomplishments, but I’m not the kind of person that has idols.

I shared a hotel room with another players? 

Also 10 years ago when I was starting to play. I was travelling with different players – Ukrainians, Russians, with Sergei Bubka and Artem Smirnov, and Davis Cup teammates. Since I started winning more, I chose to be alone in the hotel rooms. It’s more comfortable for me.

I asked someone famous for an autograph or a selfie?

Never. I take pictures with the tennis guys that are my friends, not famous people. If I have a relation with some of them, I ask to have a picture for social media. But if some friend asks me for a Roger Federer autograph, I do it. It happens a lot.  

Rafael Nadal has enjoyed a lot more serving success than we’ve ever realised.

The Spaniard is widely regarded as one of the best all-time when returning and competing from the back of the court, but he rarely receives the recognition he deserves as a server.

An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis reveals Nadal has won a higher percentage of his second-serve points than anyone else in the game. Nadal’s second serve is not as powerful as many of his opponents’, but his heavy, lefty slice makes his second serve extremely difficult to attack.

He typically targets the opponent’s less potent backhand return of serve, jamming the serve into the body to elicit a neutral return down the middle of the court. Aiming at the body also keeps the serve away from the singles sideline and the center line, where double faults often occur. Nadal’s favourite way to build the point is with a “Serve +1 forehand”, which helps him quickly gain the upper hand as he pushes opponents back and then side to side.

The left-hander has won 56.9 per cent of his second-serve points throughout his career, slightly edging arch-rival Roger Federer, who has won 56.6 per cent.

Only four of the Top 10 leaders in this specific category would be classified as “big servers” – players widely renowned for their ability to drop heat on both first and second serves. John Isner, Andy Roddick, Milos Raonic and Wayne Arthurs all made the Top 10 list.

Top 10: Second-Serve Points Won

Four other players in the Top 10 list have learned how to maximise their efficiency in this key category. Novak Djokovic, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Andre Agassi and Philipp Kohlschreiber all backed up solid second serves with devastating groundstrokes.

Season Leader

Federer finished first in second-serve points won five times, with Djokovic, Nadal and Roddick also taking end-of-season honours at least once during the past 10 seasons, according to the ATP Stats LEADERBOARDS.

The Infosys Information Platform also uncovered that Djokovic’s inspiring 2015 season, when he went 82-6, won 11 titles and took home more than $21 million in prize money, was fueled by second-serve domination. Djokovic won an astonishing 60.2 per cent of his second-serve points last season, the highest percentage anyone has achieved in the past decade.