"Wimbledon have found a way to entice players who have considered skipping the tournament, what a response" - Tennis fans react to record prize pool for 2022 Wimbledon

The 2022 Wimbledon Championships will see a record prize pool of £40.3 million (approximately $53.1 million), spread out among the singles and doubles competitions.

The prize money has crossed £40 million for the first time in Wimbledon history, increasing by more than 10% from the 2021 edition. In light of the recent controversy involving the ATP and WTA's decision to strip the Slam of ranking points, tennis fans believe the increased prize money will attract previously disinterested players.

Fans took to social media to share their opinions on the prize money, with many welcoming the move by the organizers.

"As the ATP and WTA decided that the tournament will be played without points, Wimbledon have found a way to entice players who have considered skipping the tournament. What a response," one fan wrote on Twitter.

"All these players that complained about Wimbledon are on their way rn now that prize money is up," said another fan.

The singles champions will take home £2 million each, up by 17.6% from last year. Playing in the first round (singles) guarantees players £50,000.

Another fan observed that the decision to offer hefty prize money for players exiting in the earlier rounds will be welcomed by lower-ranked players.

"The reason why GCs are loved by players is first and foremost the money. Not the dots. Winning an R1 match, you can often win between 70-90k € . It's a good move for players outside the top 50. WIMBLEDON has always had the best prize money. Then US Open and after the AO (translated)," said a tweet.

There were also some concerns over the prize money for the mixed doubles event, the total pool for which stands at just £432,000.

As per another point of view, the increased prize money still does not negate the fact that the All England Club has banned Russian and Belarusian players from participating.

"Very unlikely, the twin decision by Wimbledon to exclude Russian players (participating as private professionals) and by ATP to exclude points harms so much the Wimbledon Tournament and its image worldwide. I fear that the increase in prize money does not solve the problem," said a tweet from one account.

Who are the big names that will miss the 2022 Wimbledon Championships?

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The ban on Russian and Belarusian players from SW19 means that there are several notable absentees this year. Soon-to-be World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Aslan Karatsev and last year's quarterfinalist Karen Khachanov will all miss the grasscourt Major.

Victoria Azarenka, Daria Kasatkina and Aryna Sabalenka are some of the names who will miss the women's tournament.

Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev will miss the event after undergoing surgery on his ankle following an injury he suffered at the French Open. On the women's side, 2022 French Open quarterfinalist Leylah Fernandez will miss the tournament due to injury.

Eight-time champion Roger Federer is set to miss the event for the first time in his career, while seven-time winner Serena Williams will also not feature at the grasscourt Major this year. Both players are still recovering from long-standing injuries.