The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) is the governing body for men's professional tennis. Founded in 1972, it oversees the ATP Tour, which includes various tournaments and events around the world. The ATP is responsible for maintaining the rules of the game, promoting the sport, and ensuring fair competition among players. The ATP also ranks male players based on their performance in tournaments, providing a ranking system that helps determine seedings in competitions. This ranking system is crucial for players like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, who are among the top-ranked athletes in the sport.