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The question has been asked endlessly: Is Serena Williams the greatest of all time? Perhaps it depends on how you slice the numbers, but the fact of the matter is that it's hard to argue she's not. As the world No. 1 embarks on the final leg of her season-Slam adventure, a feat only three women in history have accomplished, the query won't cease any time soon.

Pam Shriver has been around the game for more than four decades, winning 112 doubles titles before embarking on a career as an announcer. She has seen her share of greatness. When Shriver was asked whether she thought Serena was the best to ever play, the 2002 International Hall of Fame inductee did not hesitate.

"No question," Shriver said. "It's hard to match her longevity of greatness. That coupled with her record in finals [21-4] and her record in major women's doubles finals [13-0], not to mention her incredible record over her rivals.

"And look at what she has done in her 30s alone. Add it up and that says to me she is the greatest ever -- no matter what she does in New York. She doesn't need the season Slam to solidify herself as the best."

While Serena will dominate the headlines, and the rhetoric of her place in history will persist throughout the US Open, there are other storylines to follow. We gave Shriver five other seminal storylines to think about in the form of true or false. Here is what she had to say:

Nick Kyrgios is bad for the game

False: He is a dynamic young player with flair. Hopefully, he will mature so he can see his best side, all that his game has to offer, more often. We don't want to see his controversial side like we did in Montreal. But he needs to start winning, and winning with class and dignity to restore his broken image. He's had a history now of this kind of behavior, which is only hurting him on the court. But if he can show some maturation, he has all the shots and is capable of winning big and grabbing the spotlight.

2015 will be Venus Williams' last playing full time


Venus Williams still has the desire to play and win on the tour. AP Photo/David Kohl
False: I believe the Olympic year next season is more likely to be her last on tour. She is still a player who can have glimpses of being a top player and winning big titles. But we should also expect to see a player with a wide range in quality of play. She'll have some great events where she can take out a top player or two, and others where she is going to lose in the opening round. But no matter what is in store for Venus, she is going to handle it like a pro and with good sportsmanship. I think she realizes what the reality of her game is, but she is going to leverage everything she has until she decides she has had enough.

The best of Rafael Nadal is behind him

True: Look, he can still win more majors, but he's not going to dominate like he did in his greatest years when he was winning French Open title year in, year out. He became an excellent hard-court player as well; he has won each Slam. For Nadal, the question is obviously whether he can remain healthy, but this season he has shown psychological vulnerability. In the past, when he was hurt, he never showed any mental frailty, but couple his mental issues with any physical problems (and granted he has been healthier this year than in year's past), but it's hard to be a champion, never mind just a successful player, if you're ailing both mentally and physically.

Equal center court time is a problem

True: But only in some major events. Not at the US Open, but at the other three. Considering the cultures of England, France and Australia, it's going to be a while before they market women's tennis equally and before they perceive women's tennis on a level playing field with the men. This compared to the US Open, which established equal court time for men and women in 1973. But I will say it doesn't need to be equal in terms of time spent on court. The answer is not to have women play three out of five sets but schedule the same number of matches on the show courts. That said, we also have to recognize this is one of the most glorious years we've seen on the men's side. And it's hard not to schedule the top men. But it comes in ebbs and flows. There will come a time when the same number of marketable, dynamic champions on the women's side will be equal or even surpass the men.

Novak Djokovic is no longer the favorite to win the US Open

False: Given his year in majors and the fact that the Slams are three out of five sets and also the fact that he has lost only one Slam match all year, he has to be the favorite. He's the best hard-court player in game. But I do worry about him physically. Djokovic has a great team to help solve that problem by next week, though. He raises his level in major tennis, so the only concern I would have is if he is not raising his level during the first week.

Australia’s Nick Kyrgios, billed as the new enfant terrible of men’s tennis, says he has learned his lessons after the unsavoury on-court incident that has led to him being fined and handed a suspended ban from the ATP Tour. On the eve of the US Open, in his first interview since the extended punishment was announced last week, the 20-year-old told the Observer that he deserved the ban, that he has apologised to the players concerned and that it is not something he would do again. But almost in the next breath, Kyrgios said he was “not embarrassed at all”.

Kyrgios fell foul of ATP rules when he told Stan Wawrinka during their match in the Rogers Cup in Montreal this month: “[Thanasi] Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend. Sorry to tell you that mate.” It was an ugly incident, caught clearly on television microphones, which caused ripples within the sport, with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal saying those kind of comments had no place in tennis.

Wawrinka, the French Open champion, was sufficiently riled that the Swiss later confronted Kyrgios in the locker room. The girlfriend referred to was the WTA player Donna Vekic of Croatia and on Saturday, as he looked back on the events of the past month, Kyrgios said he had not expected the furore when he opened his mouth on court. “I originally didn’t think it would be picked up [on microphones] like that but it happened,” he said. “I guess I’ll just learn from it. I mean, obviously I wouldn’t do it again but I wouldn’t say I was embarrassed by it at all. I’m not embarrassed by it.”

In addition to the total of $35,000 in fines he received, Kyrgios said he had no issue with the one-month ban, which will come into force only if he accumulates another $5,000 or more fines in ATP-sanctioned events (not grand slams or the Davis Cup) in the next six months. “I think it is fair,” he said. “I deserved to be punished, to some extent. Obviously I’m still young. [But] they [the ATP] are giving me the impression that they are going to start locking down on that sort of stuff, so I’ve definitely learned my lesson.

“I think if I accumulate over $5,000 worth of fines the suspended ban kicks in, so I definitely know that I’ve got to keep everything in order and obviously be on my best behaviour out there. But at the same time I’m not going to go out there and not showing any emotions. I am going to go out there and try to be myself.”

Last week in Cincinnati, Wawrinka said Kyrgios had not apologised, at least not to the extent he expected. On Saturday, Kyrgios said he has. “I apologised to Stan privately and publicly,” he said. “I apologised to Donna, not in person, but obviously through contacts.”

There is a streak of stubbornness that runs through Kyrgios, which doubtless helps his tennis, if not always his public relations. When asked if he thought he should apologise to Vekic in person, he said simply: “No.” Asked if Wawrinka had accepted his apology, he said: “Whether he accepted it or not, it’s not my problem.”

Vekic was quoted this past week as saying it was ridiculous that Kyrgios had not been banned for the incident. Kyrgios is keen to draw a line under the matter and he’s not the first player to make mistakes. While admitting it had been a tough time, he said on Saturday that he is not being treated any differently by his fellow players. “The guys I’ve always had a good relationship with … me and Thanasi [Kokkinakis], nothing’s changed there,” he said. “Jack Sock [the American player], I’m hanging with him as much as I can. There are a lot of guys in the locker room that are very supportive.”

Dealing with being persona non grata, in many eyes, has not been easy and Kyrgios said he had been aided by his fellow Australian Lleyton Hewitt, who has been helping him prepare for the last grand slam event of the year.

“I think that’s been massive, to have his support, on the court and off the court, whenever I’ve needed to talk to him, he’s been there,” he said. “He’s taken time out for me … so I feel he’s been a massive influence. I went to the Bahamas for a couple of days with him. We got some good training out there. I’ve got a great team around me that’s doing a lot, just keeping me level‑headed and clear.”

He will need a clear head if, as expected, the schedulers of the US Open put his first-round match – against Andy Murray, no less – in the night session on Tuesday. The New York crowd love charisma but also love a heckle and after a few beers, under the lights, things could get interesting.

“I don’t mind when it is,” Kyrgios said. “I just have to be ready for it, day or night. It’s going to be fine. I think if I have a lot of positive energy out there, I’ll be fine.”

Murray has been one of the few players calling for a bit of restraint when it comes to the Kyrgios-bashing and the Scot has been something of a mentor for both Kyrgios and Kokkinakis.

“He’s always been someone I can sort of talk to, if that’s sort of through Twitter or in person,” Kyrgios said. “He’s been someone that’s helped me. He’s always been nice to me. We’ve practised a couple of times as well. I’ve got a good relationship with him and he knows the journey as well, he’s been through some tough times as well. It’s a lot of ups and downs out there.”

Beating Murray is unlikely to be easy. The world No3 has won their three matches, all in straight sets, including wins at the French Open and Wimbledon this year.

“He’s in form, probably playing the best tennis of his life,” Kyrgios said. “I know that he’s one of the best players in the world at the moment. I just have to go out there and play the right style of game and believe I can win. I know what his strengths are and know how to play it. I just have to execute it on the day.”