." I simply gained and I yearn for thumps," Croatian ping pong star Donna Vekiu0107 declares Friday afternoon of the US Open. She is actually simply defeated Peyton Stearns-- and also after extending and also showering-- her following stop pre-press conference is actually the petit Julien Farel pop-up beauty shop concealed inside Queens's Arthur Ashe Stadium. "I had actually been hanging around all time to observe Julian as well as acquire thumps motivated by Margot Robbie." More than 20 years back, hair stylist Julien Farel approached the United States Tennis Organization with a concept: a hair salon where ping pong players can come by for a haircut, design, or even one more type of self-care during the US Open, among the absolute most high-intensity competitions of their year. "It took them 5 years to okay me," Farel, currently 16 years right into the beauty parlor collaboration at the Open, tells me along with a smile. "I was actually extremely persistent since I knew this will be a perk for a lot of professional athletes. And also I was right. Right now, they expect this second ahead in and obtain a hairstyle." A lot of the sporting activity's largest titles have rested inside this beauty parlor, which is only open during the course of the two full weeks of the competition: "I cut Rafael Nadal's hair coming from lengthy to brief in 2010, that took place right here and it was a major package. Everybody from Billie Jean King to [Martina] Navratilova has sat in these office chairs. We possessed Coco listed here straight after she succeeded in 2015's event, as well." Vekiu0107 and also her new booms, fresh cut through Julien Farel.Captured On Film by Caroline Tompkins.