Bethanie Mattek-Sands’ much talked about purple hair at the 2013 U.S. Open didn’t come from a bottle — it was dyed by renowned stylist Julien Farel a few days before her first-round match in a pop-up salon on the tournament grounds.
For nine years, Farel and his team of stylists have set up shop at America’s most lucrative sporting event — transforming sweaty tennis players into sleek-haired trophy bearers. Past U.S. Open champions Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have booked appointments at the salon, and now rank among Farel’s favorite clients — a list that also includes Mattek-Sands and Ana Ivanovic.
Most of the pros, however, aren’t as fearless as Mattek-Sands when it comes to hairstyle, and opt for a simple wash and cut. Yet the pop-up shop offers a wide range of services, including blowouts, braids, facials, pedicures and makeup touch-ups, all which are also available to coaching staff and other VIPs.
Players are most concerned about the effects of sun and humidity on their hair, and Farel says he finds controlling frizz to be his biggest problem. It might seem over the top, but we can’t blame the pros for wanting their hair to look picture perfect in front of crowds as large 22,000 and a TV audience that could comprise millions of viewers. Check out the handiwork of Farel and team below and stay tuned throughout the tournament for more U.S. Open style on our blog.
Want to look like a tennis star? Enter Farel’s sweepstakes to win his sporty hair kit, plus two tickets to the U.S. Open here! (Offer ends midnight August 31)
