." I merely gained and also I desire whacks," Croatian ping pong celebrity Donna Vekiu0107 announces Friday mid-day of the US Open. She is actually only defeated Peyton Stearns-- and also after flexing and also bathing-- her upcoming cease pre-press association is the petit Julien Farel pop-up beauty salon hidden inside Queens's Arthur Ashe Arena. "I had been actually hanging around all time to observe Julian as well as get bangs inspired through Margot Robbie." More than two decades ago, hairstylist Julien Farel came close to the United States Ping Pong Affiliation along with an idea: a beauty salon where ping pong gamers might stop by for a hairstyle, style, or yet another form of self-care during the course of the US Open, one of the most high-intensity competitors of their year. "It took them five years to say yes to me," Farel, now 16 years into the hair salon collaboration at the Open, tells me along with a smile. "I was really relentless since I knew this would be a perk for numerous professional athletes. And also I corrected. Right now, they wait for this second to follow in and also get a hairstyle." Most of the sporting activity's greatest titles have actually rested inside this beauty salon, which is only open throughout the two weeks of the competitors: "I cut Rafael Nadal's hair coming from lengthy to short in 2010, that took place on this site and also it was a huge deal. Everybody from Billie Jean Master to [Martina] Navratilova has actually beinged in these chairs. We possessed Coco listed here straight after she won in 2015's event, too." Vekiu0107 as well as her new booms, fresh reduced by Julien Farel.Captured by Caroline Tompkins.