In the third set, momentum swung back toward Roger Federer, winner of 17 Grand Slam singles titles, candidate for best player of all time. He felt it. Tomas Berdych felt it. The crowd, which obviously felt it, roared. The stands shook. The question lingered.

Could Federer, near the end of the summer that marked his career resurgence, complete an epic comeback at the United States Open?

The answer, according to Berdych, his serve and his punishing forehand, was no. Federer walked off court first Wednesday as Berdych smacked tennis balls into the stands. Federer’s eyes were downcast, his face glum. This season, in which he won Wimbledon and captured a silver medal in Olympic singles and returned to the No. 1 overall ranking, would include so much but not another Open championship.

Berdych, seeded sixth, has long held a reputation as a solid player who struggled in big points, who choked away big matches. He dispelled that notion Wednesday, as he jumped to an early lead against Federer, withstood a rally and held on to win, 7-6 (1), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.