Lamenting incompetent tyre service (9)
I believe the answer is:
alignment
'incompetent tyre service' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'lamenting' is the wordplay.
'lamenting' can be anagrammed to 'ALIGNMENT'.
Though, I am not clear how the anagram is indicated.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for alignment that I've seen before include "Arrangement in a straight line" , "course" , "Tin mangle (anag)" , "co-operation" , "Dressing" .)