US Open 2016: Stan Wawrinka sets up Del Potro quarter-final with fourth-round win

Wawrinka showed few signs of fatigue (at least early in the match) following his gruelling five-set win over Dan Evans in the third round, producing some sparkling shots on the way to a 6-4 6-1 6-7 6-3 win over his Ukrainian opponent.

However, Marchenko – hampered slightly be an injury to his right leg – fought back bravely in the third set to make his world number three ranked opponent work hard for the win, breaking serve as Wawrinka was serving for the match to force the game into a decisive tie-break and then a stamina-testing fourth set.

But Wawrinka turned on the style in the fourth set to outclass Marchenko and secure a win that he could have got an hour earlier.

The 31-year-old Swiss player is capable of raising the bar on the big stage, as he did to claim maiden Australian Open and French Open crowns in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

He will have to get past a rejuvenated Del Potro in the quarter-finals first. before thinking of a tilt at a first US Open title later in the week.

"It's going to be great to play (Del Potro)," Wawrinka said in an on-court interview after his win. "He beat me this year at Wimbledon. He's back after so many injuries, so it's good to see him playing so well again.

Wawrinka’s much-improved display on Monday certainly whets the appetite for his upcoming clash with the big Argentine, who himself was given a much-needed rest after progressing in under an hour thanks to an injury suffered by opponent Dominic Thiem.

"It's going to be a great challenge for me to play him here on the hard court for the first time," Warwinka added. "I'm excited to play against him and hopefully I can keep going here."