Cincinnati (AFP) – Flavio Cobolli advanced to the semi-finals of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters on Thursday with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Tommy Paul, gobbling down a handful of sweets for an unorthodox boost midway through the match. The Roland Garros runner-up asked for the treats to be brought to the court and seemingly took energy from the pause before dispatching Paul, who had himself eliminated top seed Alexander Zverev 24 hours earlier.
“A sweet with chocolate makes me happy,” Cobolli said. “I’ve tried it in doubles so why not singles?” Cobolli mounted the comeback after dropping the opening set against Paul, one of four US men in the last-eight stage. With the match tied at a set apiece, the American needed an extraordinary effort to hold serve for 4-3 in the final set, battling through five deuces and saving four break points. But Cobolli ignored the showing as he closed out victory.
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“It was a difficult day,” the winner said. “I’m proud of my effort, my game and my mental strength. It is all good practice for the US Open. My shape is 100 percent. I may play golf tomorrow on a day off to relax but I will be ready to fight again.” Cobolli is the 11th different Italian to reach a Masters semi-finals since the series began 36 years ago. His unusual candy break was somewhat reminiscent of the espresso shots often downed in the heat of battle by his compatriot Luciano Darderi.
In the women’s draw, world number three Jessica Pegula extended her dominance over Amanda Anisimova, beating her fellow American 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/4) to reach the semis. Sixth-seeded Anisimova converted all five of her break points against Pegula, breaking her three times in the second set. But Pegula rebounded to claim her sixth win in as many meetings between the two. Pegula is setting WTA records at age 32. She’s the fourth player since 2009 to reach five or more Masters 1000 quarter-finals after turning 30, along with Li Na, Serena Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova.
US women players were plentiful as the last eight went into action, making up half of the quarter-finalists. It marks the third time since 2009 that four Americans have made the quarters of a WTA 1000, after Toronto in 2024 and Beijing last year.
Pegula took charge of the opening set against the 10th-ranked Anisimova, winner of two titles last season. She needed just 34 minutes to pocket the set on the first of three chances. But Anisimova struck back in the second, earning a double break for 4-0 before Pegula clawed a break back for 4-1 and held to cut the deficit to 4-2. After Anisimova squared the match at one set each, Pegula regrouped with an opening break in the deciding set. They would each be broken twice as they went to the tiebreaker, where Pegula sealed the win on her first match point.
Pegula will face the winner of Thursday night’s quarter-final between defending champion Iga Swiatek and reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina. That’s a rematch of last week’s Toronto final, where Swiatek captured her first title of 2026. Pegula’s win was her sixth without a loss to Anisimova. “I know I have a good record against her, but literally every single match is like it was today.”
© 2024 AFP
