(Photo credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images)

Flavio Cobolli overcame a sluggish start and got a mid-match sugar boost Thursday, rallying for a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Tommy Paul to reach the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open in Mason, Ohio.

The seventh-seeded Italian advanced to his first ATP Masters 1000 semifinal after eliminating the 18th-seeded American. Cobolli next will face either 21st-seeded Frenchman Arthur Fils or Argentina's Thiago Agustin Tirante, who met later Thursday night.

Paul controlled the opening set, breaking his opponent twice. Cobolli, who needed three sets to get past 12th-seeded Rafael Jodar of Spain on Wednesday, appeared short on energy early before gradually finding his form.

He also found some help in an unusual place. Leading 5-2 in the second set, Cobolli asked for M&M's during a changeover.

'I felt a little bit tired, and I needed some energy, some sugar, and I love M&M's,' Cobolli said. 'Chocolate with colors makes me happy in the match.'

Whether it was the candy or simply improved execution, Cobolli became much more difficult to handle. He won 78.1% of his first-serve points in the last two sets, up from 46.2% in the opener, including a 12-for-12 performance in the third set.

Both players held serve through the first eight games of the final set. Cobolli squandered four break-point opportunities with Paul serving at 3-3 but did not let those misses linger.

He broke at his next opportunity to move ahead 5-4 and then served out the match.

'The change was not easy,' Cobolli said of recovering from the opening set. 'Every match is different, every set is different, and I'm really proud of myself about how (I managed) today. I'm proud of my game and my mentality, and also my team, that is always important all my life.'

Cobolli, 24, improved to 2-0 against Paul, with both victories coming in Cincinnati. He also became the second Italian man to reach the tournament's semifinals, joining Jannik Sinner, who did so each of the past two years.

Cobolli entered the tournament ranked No. 10 in the world but is projected to reach a career high of at least No. 6 following his Cincinnati run.

--Field Level Media