." I only won and I prefer whacks," Croatian ping pong star Donna Vekiu0107 declares Friday afternoon of the US Open. She's simply trumped Peyton Stearns-- as well as after flexing and also showering-- her upcoming cease pre-press conference is actually the petit Julien Farel pop-up beauty shop concealed inside Queens's Arthur Ashe Coliseum. "I had actually been standing by all season to observe Julian and acquire raps inspired by Margot Robbie." Much more than twenty years ago, hairstylist Julien Farel approached the USA Tennis Association along with an idea: a beauty parlor where ping pong gamers could possibly drop by for a haircut, style, or even one more type of self-care throughout the United States Open, one of the most high-intensity competitors of their year. "It took them 5 years to okay me," Farel, right now 16 years in to the beauty salon partnership at the Open, tells me with a smile. "I was extremely constant considering that I knew this will be a perk for a lot of sportsmens. As well as I was right. Right now, they expect this second to come in and also receive a hairstyle." Many of the sport's greatest names have rested inside this salon, which is actually merely open throughout the 2 full weeks of the competition: "I reduced Rafael Nadal's hair coming from long to short in 2010, that occurred on this site and it was a major deal. Everyone from Billie Jean Master to [Martina] Navratilova has actually sat in these office chairs. Our team possessed Coco listed here right after she succeeded in 2015's tournament, too." Vekiu0107 and also her brand new bangs, newly reduced through Julien Farel.Captured through Caroline Tompkins.