Watching last week's Fast4 matches featuring the likes of Rafa Nadal, Fernando Verdasco, Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt was an interesting exercise.

At times it was hit and giggle, but a lot of the time the competitive nature of all four was on show in spades.

Fast4 is aimed primarily at the younger market and for matches to be decided in a much shorter time span than the grand slam contests that can often go for three hours or more.

Main rules in Fast4 are no ad scoring, no lets, tiebreak at three games all, and first to four games wins.

It's a concept that could become popular, particularly in social tennis circles.

As for traditional tennis, here's an idea to fasten the game.

Cut towel time.

It's ridiculous how often players such as Nadal, pictured, call for the towel.

Tennis fans understand it's hot on court at Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, or another court for that matter.

But why a player will call for the towel, sometimes after an ace has me, and I'm sure other tennis watchers who are courtside or on the couch, stumped.

There's no argument from me when a player grabs a towel after a rally lasting 20 shots or more, but not after an ace

In the words of tennis great John McEnroe - "you cannot be serious".

How much of a sweat can be worked up from walking from one side of the court to the other, getting into position to receive, and then watching the ball fly past your racquet or out of reach.

Yours truly knows from days wielding the wooden racquet, that's how long ago it was, with Arnold Street and later Bendigo RSL that being aced does not work up a sweat.

For the game's elite such as Nadal, Novak Djokovic and more, the towel has become somewhat of a tactic.

Some will call it gamesmanship, others say it's time-wasting.

On occasions it's up to the umpire to make a decision.

Tennis has time-limits between serves and points, but how often is it enforced.

It seems the higher-ranked players, and they are the ones who draw more fans to the court and to the TV screens, have more latitude than those well down the pecking order.

It's like my hair, it's not just fair.

Rules are rules - regardless of who the player is.

Across the next fortnight there will be thousands of serves, rallies and smashes, as well as the occasional emotional outburst at Melbourne Park.

For many tennis fans it's two weeks of exciting action as the game's best such as Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Peta Kvitova, Eugenie Bouchard, Caroline Wozniacki or perhaps a bolter vie for the title.

Now, if you could just get my hands on those towels.