Start of a rally

SERVE

["**Hint:** \"Tennis player's opening move to begin play.\"\n\nThis hint keeps the context of sports and the idea of starting an action, making it easier than the original clue while still requiring the solver to connect it to the specific term."]

Certainly! Here's a clear and concise explanation for the crossword clue: **Clue:** "Start of a rally" **Answer:** "SERVE" **Explanation:** In tennis and other racket sports, a "rally" begins with a "serve," where the player hits the ball to start play. The clue uses a straightforward definition, referring to the initial action that kicks off a rally. There’s no complex wordplay here—just a direct reference to the sporting term. If this were a cryptic crossword, there might be additional layers (e.g., "serve" as a homophone or anagram), but in this case, it’s a simple definition-based clue. The answer fits perfectly as the literal start of a rally in sports.