Flavio Cobolli came up with the weirdest solution to beat fatigue in the middle of his Cincinnati Open quarter-final match. While players are often seen calling for energy gel, electrolyte, or even energy drinks, Cobolli’s choice of energy booster was far from these obvious choices.

Trailing early against Tommy Paul, the Italian requested a pot of M&Ms during a changeover, a decision he credited afterwards for helping spark a fine comeback. 

“Tell us about the M&Ms. Did you ask for them?” Cobolli was asked in his on-court interview. “No, I felt a little bit tired. I needed some energy. Some sugar. And I love M&Ms. Chocolate with colours makes me happy,” he said, laughing. 

The request came right as Cobolli was building a 5-2 lead in the second set after dropping the first, against a player who defeated the top seed in the previous round. Italian fought back from a set down to beat Paul 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, reaching his first-ever Masters 1000 semi-final. 

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“I usually have in doubles, but I tried also singles and it worked, so maybe also next time,” He explained afterwards that the request wasn’t entirely out of nowhere. 

The win extended a brutal run of form through the draw, with the French Open finalist having now played four consecutive three-set matches in Cincinnati.

“The change is not easy. Every match is different, every set is different, and I’m really proud of myself about how I managed all the difficulties today. I’m proud about my game, about my mentality, and about also my team that is always important all my life,” he said, adding that he planned to unwind with a round of golf before refocusing on the US Open.

“I think my shape is 100 per cent. Still, of course, I have to recover. Maybe tomorrow I go play golf a bit to lose the focus, and then again, I’m ready, and I’m going to fight again.”

His semi-final opponent, Arthur Fils, who reached the last four with a win over Thiago Agustin Tirante, who defeated Novak Djokovic in the second round, wasted no time responding to the story.

“If he takes the M&Ms against me it’s going to be tough for him,” Fils said, only half joking about the sugar rush that had just derailed Paul’s afternoon.

Cobolli’s sweet tooth joins a long list of courtside cravings

Flavio Cobolli has a sweet tooth, and he has not shied away from giving his food opinions out in the open. Earlier this season, he playfully clashed with Iga Swiatek over her admission that she loves makaron z truskawkami, a Polish dish combining pasta, strawberries and yoghurt. 

“I talked with her yesterday. I told her, ‘What did you do? Now they want to try strawberry and pasta!'” Cobolli said at the time, adding that he found the combination worse than pineapple on pizza, a dish he confessed he actually enjoys.

The M&Ms request also arrives in a week where courtside beverages were also ordered. A few days earlier, during the match between Amanda Anisimova and Alexandra Eala, the American was sipping from a plastic cup mid-match, which appeared to be beer or an espresso but eventually turned out to be a Red Bull. 

Earlier, Serena Williams got herself a coffee on-court at the 2015 Hopman Cup, acknowledging the impact of jet lag on her caffeine intake, while Sloane Stephens was issued a Code violation at the Australian Open after a Japanese takeout order arrived during a match.

The staples- creatine powder and Pickle juice are a constant at the tennis court for short bursts of energy and cramp relief. Players even ask for bananas, protein bars, chocolates, and sometimes Diet Coke or some other aerated drink to rehydrate themselves.