." I just gained and I really want whacks," Croatian ping pong superstar Donna Vekiu0107 announces Friday mid-day of the United States Open. She is actually just trumped Peyton Stearns-- as well as after stretching as well as bathing-- her upcoming cease pre-press event is actually the petit Julien Farel pop-up salon hidden inside Queens's Arthur Ashe Arena. "I had been actually standing by all time to observe Julian and obtain whacks inspired through Margot Robbie." More than two decades ago, hairstylist Julien Farel moved toward the United States Ping Pong Association with an idea: a beauty parlor where ping pong players can stop by for a hairstyle, style, or yet another kind of self-care during the course of the United States Open, some of one of the most high-intensity competitors of their year. "It took them 5 years to okay me," Farel, now 16 years into the salon partnership at the Open, informs me along with a smile. "I was quite persistent because I recognized this would certainly be actually a perk for numerous professional athletes. And I corrected. Now, they wait on this moment to follow in as well as receive a hairstyle." A lot of the sporting activity's most significant titles have actually sat inside this salon, which is just available during the course of the 2 full weeks of the competition: "I reduced Rafael Nadal's hair from long to quick in 2010, that occurred on this site and also it was a major deal. Everybody from Billie Jean King to [Martina] Navratilova has partaken these chairs. Our experts had Coco right here straight after she gained in 2015's tournament, also." Vekiu0107 as well as her brand-new booms, newly reduced through Julien Farel.Photographed by Caroline Tompkins.