While Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray might have had it easy at the All-England Club, Frenchman Jo Wilfried-Tsonga and Milos Raonic were creating an Olympic record of epic proportions, as they slugged it out in a three-hour 58 minute battle, the longest tennis match in Games history.
Tsonga prevailed over his talented Canadian opponent 6-3, 2-6, 25-23, with the last set alone lasting three hours, another Olympic record in itself.
"At the end I was just very happy for my country," Tsonga said. "I did it for them, and that's it.
"When I arrive on the court, I forget myself, and I try to play for the others. It was not easy because I have to finish on his serve, and this guy has a big serve, so it was not easy.
"I had many possibilities and I didn't take it. He played better than me on these points. Finally I did it, so I'm really happy."
In an era dominated by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic, other players find it hard to get recognition, and by creating the unique record Tsonga, said he was happy. "It's good because this is the only way to write my name in history for the moment. With Rafa, Roger and Novak, even Andy (Murray), it's tough to go through big tournaments.
"So I'm really happy. I hope I will have some more."
Raonic was left to wonder what might have happened had he taken the chances when it was presented to him. "I was a little bit disappointed with the way I started the first three games, but after I felt like I was playing the better tennis for most of the match until probably really late in the third set," the 21-year-old said. "Then he was sort of creeping past me.
"I created a lot of opportunities for myself, so it was a little bit unfortunate I didn't make the most of them. There's a lot of good things to take, there's a lot of learning things to take from this."
Second seed Djokovic waltzed past Andy Roddick 6-2, 6-1 in his match to move to the second round, and admitted there was nothing to fault his performance against the American. "It was the perfect match in every sense. I delivered my best game, I think, so far this year on grass courts," the Australian Open champion said.
"I didn't expect to serve as many aces, but both of my matches that I've played here I've served really, really well. So that's something encouraging for the next challenge."
Roddick, who has looked like a shadow of his younger self off late, admitted his serving let him down against the Serbian. "If he is hitting the ball like that, my chance is to serve really well," the American said. "I didn't serve great today. I hit the ball fine, (but) he was just too good from the baseline. He was seeing it like a basketball today."
Murray, who will meet Djokovic in the semi-finals if they make it through to the last-four, was also delighted with his straight-set 6-2, 6-3 victory over Finland's Jarkko Nieminen. "I played well today," he said. "He didn't start the match that well.
"Then he definitely played better in the second set. But I had the momentum for most of the match. I served well, especially in the second set, didn't give him really many opportunities. I've hit the ball well so far in the tournament."
In the women's section, there were no major upsets as Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova got through to the next round.
Sharapova was made to work for her win against British hope Laura Robson in a 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 victory, with the Russian's experience eventually helping her to advance. Sharapova, seeded three, admitted she was impressed with the atmosphere at the Olympics, saying it was completely different to the one experienced in the Grand Slam. "Oh, I love it. Obviously, you felt it so much today, playing against someone that's from Great Britain," Sharapova said. "You feel the support that the home country's providing to the athletes.
"What a transition it has been from the last few weeks of Wimbledon to here, a nice one, a completely different atmosphere which I think all of us are really enjoying.
"It's much more of a team atmosphere as well. The girls are getting together in the evenings, having dinner together, which has been nice."
Number one seed Azarenka celebrated her 23rd birthday, with a straightforward 6-1, 6-1 victory over Spain Maria Jose-Martinez. "It was a special moment to have a birthday during the Olympic Games but unfortunately I cannot really celebrate as I have to get ready for tomorrow."
