Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka spared a thought for an absent countryman after he powered through a high-quality match against Czech Tomas Berdych on Tuesday to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open.

The ninth seed beat the fifth seeded Berdych 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (6), 6-2 in two hours and 47 minutes.

Wawrinka, the player constantly living in the shadow of 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer in his homeland, was blown off the court by Berdych in the first set.