2006 Smyrna Invitational: One More For The Road
After a three-year hiatus, the RTAtour returns to action Sunday afternoon at Tolleson Park in a farewell tour of sorts for one of its most notable and influential members. Andrei Erdoss began participating in tournaments sanctioned by the Cobb Tennis League, as it was then called, in 1998. He quickly made his mark as he won the first two tournaments in which he participated (the spring edition of the 1998 Harvest Pointe Open and the 1998 Smyrna Invitational). While formidable on the court, Erdoss made his most significant impact as a tournament and league official. Before his first year as a tournament participant was complete, Erdoss made his debut as a tournament founder and director with the 1998 International Tournament of Champions. He also co-founded the Mableton Open and served as a tournament director for both the Mableton Open and the Smyrna Invitational. Erdoss brought sweeping changes to the league in 2001. The change in the league’s name from CTL to RTAtour, the Smyrna Invitational’s rise to status as the official tournament of the City of Smyrna as the Smyrna Classic and the addition of doubles events as well as separate men’s and women’s singles events — and later separate events for players of different skill levels — are all innovations that can be attributed to Erdoss and his intense commitment to taking the RTAtour to new levels in 2001.
While 2001 was the most prolific year for Erdoss as an RTAtour executive, he continued to make an impact on and off the court in the following years. Erdoss earned his second Smyrna Invitational title in 2002 en route to claiming his first Champions Race title. In 2003 Erdoss founded and directed the Austell Open.
Erdoss has, like the other RTAtour executives, spent the last three years away from the rigors of tournament directing. In those years the RTAtour has bordered on defunct status as officials with the organization have not determined whether or not the RTAtour, and the tournaments which it sanctions, will continue. The future of the organization remains as uncertain as ever, particularly with the announcement that Erdoss plans to return to his native Romania later this month. For now, what RTAtour officials do know is that there is at least one more tournament to operate. This particular event was organized quickly in order to reach completion before Erdoss departs. The 2006 Smyrna Invititational is unique in more than one aspect as it features a round-robin format and consists strictly of participants with deep ties to the organization. Erdoss will compete, at least once more, with players who have been a part of the RTAtour — and its predecessor, the CTL — for no fewer than seven years. He will face Kevin Agricola (a member since 1999) on Monday, Justin Beckley (who founded the CTL in 1994) on Tuesday, Andrew Chung (a member since 1998) on Wednesday before concluding the tournament Sunday in a match with Michael Smith (a member since 1998 and former champion of this event).
Erdoss does not intend for his departure from the States to be permanent, which gives rise to the possibility for his participation in future RTAtour events. The question is whether or not the RTAtour will still be around upon his return. Given the importance of Erdoss to the success of the RTAtour as a whole and the precarious position of the tour before Erdoss’ announcement, it seems highly plausible that this could in effect spell the end for the RTAtour. So while league officials do not designate this as the final RTAtour event or even the final tournament appearance by Andrei Erdoss, the possibility certainly looms that the 2006 Smyrna Invitational will be the swan song for both Erdoss and the association to which he has given so much.