." I only gained as well as I yearn for raps," Croatian ping pong superstar Donna Vekiu0107 proclaims Friday afternoon of the United States Open. She is actually simply beaten Peyton Stearns-- and also after flexing and bathing-- her upcoming quit pre-press conference is actually the petit Julien Farel pop-up beauty parlor hidden inside Queens's Arthur Ashe Arena. "I had actually been standing by all period to see Julian as well as receive whacks encouraged through Margot Robbie." More than two decades back, hairstylist Julien Farel moved toward the USA Tennis Organization along with a concept: a beauty salon where ping pong players could pop in for a hairstyle, design, or even one more kind of self-care in the course of the US Open, some of the absolute most high-intensity competitions of their year. "It took them 5 years to okay me," Farel, right now 16 years right into the beauty salon alliance at the Open, tells me along with a smile. "I was actually extremely consistent since I recognized this would certainly be actually a perk for a lot of professional athletes. And also I corrected. Today, they wait on this minute to find in and receive a hairstyle." Much of the sporting activity's biggest titles have rested inside this salon, which is merely available in the course of the 2 full weeks of the competition: "I cut Rafael Nadal's hair from long to short in 2010, that happened on this site and also it was actually a significant bargain. Everybody coming from Billie Jean King to [Martina] Navratilova has actually partaken these office chairs. Our team had Coco right here right after she succeeded last year's competition, as well." Vekiu0107 and also her brand-new booms, fresh cut through Julien Farel.Captured On Film by Caroline Tompkins.