." I merely gained and also I desire thumps," Croatian ping pong superstar Donna Vekiu0107 announces Friday mid-day of the US Open. She's simply defeated Peyton Stearns-- and also after flexing and showering-- her next deter pre-press conference is the petit Julien Farel pop-up beauty parlor concealed inside Queens's Arthur Ashe Stadium. "I had been standing by all season to see Julian and also acquire thumps encouraged by Margot Robbie." Much more than 20 years earlier, hairstylist Julien Farel approached the USA Ping Pong Organization with a concept: a hair salon where ping pong players could pop in for a haircut, type, or even yet another type of self-care during the course of the United States Open, among the absolute most high-intensity competitions of their year. "It took them five years to say yes to me," Farel, currently 16 years in to the beauty salon partnership at the Open, tells me along with a smile. "I was actually incredibly consistent given that I understood this would certainly be a perk for lots of athletes. And I was right. Now, they await this minute to follow in as well as receive a hairstyle." Most of the sport's most significant labels have actually rested inside this salon, which is actually only open in the course of the two full weeks of the competition: "I cut Rafael Nadal's hair coming from long to quick in 2010, that took place on this site and also it was a big package. Everybody coming from Billie Jean King to [Martina] Navratilova has actually sat in these office chairs. We possessed Coco listed here right after she won last year's event, too." Vekiu0107 as well as her new booms, fresh cut through Julien Farel.Captured through Caroline Tompkins.