I don't teach this method and instead have told players over the years that unless they swing at it they can catch it and not count it as a fault.
Apparently that rule doesn't apply everywhere.
Here is an example of a lost match for not hitting the toss.
This only confirms the need to perfect your toss. Here is a gold standard rule that I have come to apply to myself. You should be able to hit your serve however imperfectly with your eyes closed. I learned that I could do that once when serving into the sun on a poorly designed tennis court that always had you either eyes in the sun or back to the sun depending on the time of day.
Try it. Close your eyes after the toss and see if you can hit it.
Now here is my secret. I have an abbreviated toss relative to the skyscraper tosses you see among many very good players. Yet, you all can see that some of the best servers toss the ball to their max reach with a racket and then hit it. If you can hit the ball at the apex you have a ball that is essentially stationary for a moment before it begins the downward drop.
Now for some terminology.
This is not used in tennis but rather in baseball and other sports.
Delivery - That is the time between the start and finish of the serve motion that is independent of the ball speed. There are many servers that have a time delayed delivery that seems to go on forever yet others who seem to get the job done in the blink of an eye.
Dolgopolov is a great example of a fast delivery. Roscoe Tanner is an earlier example.
Meanwhile, look at Federer facing Dolgopolov and how his midrange delivery speed dominates Dolgopolov with his supreme placement, spin, and deceptive speed.
It appears that the actual difference between the toss and the strike of the ball is not much different between the two players, but it is enough be visually apparent. What does seem common is that the toss height is about the same but I suspect Dolgopolov might even catch the ball on the rise though his toss is very far forward so it may on balance be about the same as Federer.
I would suggest emulating the Federer serve for your most accurate and reliable serve versus some of the fastest motions.
Another example at the other end of the timeline for delivery is Pete Sampras. His motion seems so delayed and so long that I wonder if it mesmerized his opponents. He puts the ball up very high.
What is the common thread among the best servers? I suggest the first thing is a very consistent toss.
Work on your toss by going to the fence and practicing your contact point.
Work on your toss by setting a target on the court where the toss should land if you toss it to the right place. A racket on the court out in front is a good target. Put the butt of the racket at the top of your front foot and send it out to 1 O'clock. That should be approximately where the ball should land.
