." I simply won and also I desire thumps," Croatian ping pong superstar Donna Vekiu0107 declares Friday mid-day of the US Open. She's just trumped Peyton Stearns-- and after extending and showering-- her upcoming quit pre-press event is actually the petit Julien Farel pop-up salon hidden inside Queens's Arthur Ashe Arena. "I had actually been waiting all time to view Julian as well as obtain thumps influenced through Margot Robbie." More than two decades back, hair stylist Julien Farel came close to the USA Ping Pong Association along with a suggestion: a beauty shop where ping pong players can pop in for a haircut, style, or even another type of self-care during the US Open, some of the best high-intensity competitions of their year. "It took all of them 5 years to okay me," Farel, right now 16 years into the beauty salon collaboration at the Open, tells me along with a smile. "I was actually incredibly consistent because I knew this would be a perk for lots of sportsmens. As well as I was right. Now, they wait on this moment ahead in and also get a haircut." A number of the sporting activity's greatest titles have sat inside this salon, which is actually merely available during the course of the two full weeks of the competition: "I cut Rafael Nadal's hair from lengthy to quick in 2010, that occurred on this site as well as it was actually a big offer. Everyone from Billie Jean King to [Martina] Navratilova has actually partaken these chairs. Our experts possessed Coco here straight after she gained in 2015's event, as well." Vekiu0107 as well as her brand new booms, newly cut by Julien Farel.Photographed through Caroline Tompkins.