The act of tossing the ball into the air before hitting a serve. The toss dictates everything about the serve: flat serves need a toss slightly in front and to the right (for right-handers), kick serves need a toss more overhead or slightly behind, and slice serves need a toss more to the right. Consistency in the ball toss is what separates reliable servers from erratic ones. Windy conditions make toss placement a genuine nightmare.
"The toss goes up, drifts in the wind, and she catches it instead of serving. Reset. Second toss is cleaner."