." I simply gained and also I prefer thumps," Croatian ping pong superstar Donna Vekiu0107 announces Friday mid-day of the United States Open. She's simply trumped Peyton Stearns-- and also after stretching as well as showering-- her next cease pre-press conference is actually the petit Julien Farel pop-up hair salon hidden inside Queens's Arthur Ashe Arena. "I had actually been actually hanging around all time to view Julian as well as receive whacks motivated by Margot Robbie." Greater than two decades back, hairdresser Julien Farel moved toward the United States Tennis Association along with a tip: a hair salon where ping pong players can stop by for a hairstyle, design, or another form of self-care during the course of the United States Open, some of the best high-intensity competitors of their year. "It took all of them 5 years to okay me," Farel, now 16 years in to the beauty salon collaboration at the Open, informs me with a smile. "I was quite constant due to the fact that I recognized this would be actually a perk for numerous professional athletes. And I corrected. Today, they expect this second to follow in as well as receive a haircut." Many of the sport's biggest titles have actually sat inside this beauty parlor, which is actually just open during the course of the 2 weeks of the competition: "I reduced Rafael Nadal's hair coming from long to quick in 2010, that occurred on this site as well as it was actually a big offer. Everyone from Billie Jean Master to [Martina] Navratilova has actually partaken these office chairs. Our team had Coco listed here straight after she succeeded last year's event, too." Vekiu0107 as well as her brand new booms, recently cut by Julien Farel.Photographed by Caroline Tompkins.