." I just succeeded and I desire whacks," Croatian ping pong celebrity Donna Vekiu0107 proclaims Friday afternoon of the US Open. She is actually just beaten Peyton Stearns-- and also after flexing and showering-- her upcoming cease pre-press association is actually the petit Julien Farel pop-up hair salon hidden inside Queens's Arthur Ashe Coliseum. "I had been standing by all time to view Julian and also receive whacks inspired through Margot Robbie." Much more than twenty years ago, hairdresser Julien Farel approached the USA Ping Pong Organization along with a concept: a salon where tennis players could pop in for a hairstyle, style, or even yet another kind of self-care throughout the US Open, among the most high-intensity competitors of their year. "It took all of them 5 years to say yes to me," Farel, currently 16 years in to the salon alliance at the Open, informs me with a smile. "I was actually very constant since I understood this would be actually a perk for several professional athletes. As well as I was right. Today, they await this minute ahead in and acquire a haircut." A lot of the sport's largest labels have actually rested inside this hair salon, which is actually merely open during the course of the 2 full weeks of the competition: "I cut Rafael Nadal's hair coming from long to brief in 2010, that took place right here and also it was actually a significant offer. Everybody coming from Billie Jean Master to [Martina] Navratilova has actually partaken these office chairs. We possessed Coco listed below straight after she won in 2015's tournament, too." Vekiu0107 and her brand new bangs, newly reduced by Julien Farel.Captured by Caroline Tompkins.