Serena Brings Office Dress Code Politics to the Court
*By Carlo Versano*
Serena Williams's choice to take the court at the U.S. Open in something resembling a tutu added dimension to a debate that's been waged at more traditional offices across the country: what exactly is considered work-appropriate attire in 2018?
Most might not think of a tennis court as a workplace, but for sports pros that's exactly what it is. And a mega athlete at the top of her game donning a frilly, flamboyant costume seemed designed to make a statement, chief fashion critic for the New York Times Vanessa Friedman said Thursday in an interview on Cheddar.
But Friedman said she thinks Williams's choice "is fantastic" and "what athletes should do."
That is, athletes should wear what makes them feel good.
Williams' fashion statement comes as French tennis officials retroactively banned the catsuit she wore during this year's French Open, saying it did not "respect the game." That outfit, though, actually served a medical purpose, made of compression fabric to prevent the blood clots Williams suffered from after giving birth to her first child last September.
Medical needs aside, the episode raises the question of, in an era of casual dress ー where athleisure wear is *de rigueur* and many offices allow jeans at work ー why should female tennis players still have to wear skirts or dresses on the court?
In fact, Friedman said, there is no clause in the Grand Slam [rule book](https://www.itftennis.com/officiating/rulebooks/grand-slams.aspx) that requires dresses or skirts be worn on the court.
Instead, it's more a "social hangover" from an era when women had to conform to a stereotype in order to compete at the professional level, "because they were wearing the garb of women," Friedman said.
But times are different. Performance wear has evolved to better serve the needs of athletes. And in the age of social media, athletes are more attuned to their personal brands and styles.
The discussion reflects a broader one about what is appropriate when dress codes are left so vague, Friedman said.
"Respect is in the eye of the beholder."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-gender-politics-of-tennis-wardrobes).
Baseball is as American as — Apple TV+. The National Pasttime has a new media partner this season, as the MLB will be streaming Friday night doubleheaders on the Apple streaming service. Noah Garden, the league's chief revenue officer, spoke to Cheddar News to break down the details of what's being offered in the new package and why Major League Baseball felt the need to make the move this year. "We've been in a situation where we've lost reach, even within the cable bundle. There are situations where people in the local market don't have access to watch their favorite team and their local team on top of that," he said. "You have cord cutters and even probably more importantly, cord nevers. So streaming offers of some ability to gain reach that we've lost over the the last couple of years, and Apple was really the perfect partner for us."
The 2022 Masters Tournament is slated to begin on Thursday, and one of golf's most iconic players is set to return to Augusta National, just 14 months after a devastating car accident. In a press conference, Tiger Woods told reporters that not only is he planning to play in the tournament, but that he also thinks he can win. Cam Rogers, national sports betting and golf analyst, and host of 'Lock It In'
for the Bleav Podcast Network, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Carsten Koerl, CEO of Sportradar, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he explains how his company is bolstering the platforms of sports betting and streaming networks, and discusses basketball legend and Sportradar investor Michael Jordan's role in helping the company grow.
Catching you up on what you need to know on April 4, 2022, with reports of Russian war crimes in Ukraine, a weekend shooting in Sacramento killing six and injuring 12, Mexico ending its gas subsidization for U.S. drivers, and the University of South Carolina winning the women's NCAA basketball championship, and more.
Between Bells EP Conor White recaps some of the biggest stories of the week, while Baker Machado and Hena Doba test their knowledge, and maybe learn a thing or two. It's This Week in Trivia!
David Salituro, MLB and PGA sportswriter for Fansided.com, joins Cheddar Bets to break down his favorite futures bets in the MLB and at The Masters.
Sponsored by BetMGM
For the first time in the history of the storied men's college basketball rivalry between Duke University and the University of North Carolina, the two teams will be meeting directly in the NCAA tournament — and in the Final Four! Sean Green, the co-founder of the Sports Gambling Podcast Network, joined Cheddar to give his take on the possible final game of legendary Duke coach, Mike Krzyzewski. "Now, if you recall, UNC actually beat Duke in Coach K's final home regular-season game, so revenge is going to be on the mind of Duke in this Final Four game, and I think they have the best of UNC. I like them laying four points," Green said. He also picked Villanova with an upset win over Kansas.
This June marks the 25th anniversary of the infamous 1997 "Bite Fight”, the iconic boxing rematch between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield when Tyson shockingly bit a piece of his opponent’s ear off. As a macabre tribute to the incident, the boxing legend’s line of cannabis products, Tyson 2.0, has released “Mike Bites", edibles in the shape of an ear complete with a bite mark. Tyson, the chief brand officer and co-founder, along with CEO Adam Wilks joined Cheddar News to talk about the unique gummies. "I just think this is just me owning what I did. I'm owning my responsibility. I've done that. That was pretty bad at the time, but I turned it over to make it pretty good," the former heavyweight champion said.
