'Lucky to witness so much greatness': Praises pour in for Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic after Wimbledon thriller

WATCH: Carlos Alcaraz topples Novak Djokovic in 5-set Wimbledon final | HIGHLIGHTS

On Sunday, world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz defeated 23-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in five sets on Centre Court—a result that sent seismic shockwaves throughout men't tennis.

With his second Grand Slam victory, 20-year-old Alcaraz finally broke new ground at Wimbledon, the final Big 4 stronghold. Since 2003, no player not named Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray or Djokovic had triumphed at the grass-court major—until Alcaraz broke through in a five-set epic. By the time Alcaraz collapsed to the ground in celebration after closing out the 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 victory, the shockwaves were rippling on social media too.

Nadal was among the first to take to Twitter to send congrats to his fellow Spaniard, a great gesture from the 22-time Grand Slam winner to whom Alcaraz was frequently compared during the start of his career:

"Congrats Carlos," he wrote. "You have given us immense joy today and I am sure that our pioneer in Spanish tennis, Manolo Santana, has also been cheering from wherever he is, such as Wimbledon whom you have joined today," Nadal added, highlighting Wimbledon's three winners from Spain.

"A very big hug and enjoy the moment.... Champion!!!"

The comparisons between Nadal and Alcaraz were alive again on Sunday. Memories of Nadal's 2008 Wimbledon victory over five-time champion Federer weren't far from the minds of tennis fans, a changing-of-the-guard moment that ushered in a new era in men's tennis. As Alcaraz dethroned four-time defending champion Djokovic, a Spaniard once again denied history on Centre Court.

That symbolism wasn't lost on tennis fans, highlighted by actor (and known Rafa stan) Ben Stiller and Spanish soccer club Real Madrid, which counts both Alcaraz and Nadal among its celebrity fans.

After dropping a one-sided first set to Djokovic, Alcaraz raised his level in the final—which ended up becoming a five-set battle for the title, with the ATP's world No. 1 ranking also at stake. In the second set, Alcaraz snapped Djokovic's impressive tiebreak record of 13 in a row in 2023, before becoming the first player to defeat him on Centre Court since 2013 with the victory.

Retired legends like Billie Jean King and Rod Laver were quick to share praise for both players who took part in the thrilling final.

"You certainly found your feet on grass this summer, an astonishing achievement against one of the greatest champions ever, Novak Djokovic," Laver wrote. "I’m sure there will be many more magnificent battles between you two."

Their peers had plenty of praise for Alcaraz's massive achievement, with last year's finalist Nick Kyrgios and more taking to social media after the match.

"Insane final. Ridiculous level," said retired Brazilian player Bruno Soares. "Class act speech from Nole. Great to see how well Carlitos improved his English over the years and what a great speech also. And most important thank you for the show. We are lucky to witness so much greatness."

"Massive Carlos Alcaraz!" wrote Garbine Muguruza, the 2017 Wimbledon champion. "Enjoy this moment. Wimbledon is something very special!!"

"Congratulations Carlos! You are a part of the history of our sport, enjoy a feat that has been unforgettable," added Carla Suarez Navarro.

"What a beautiful final! Congrats champion Carlos Alcaraz, what a tremendous match you played," wrote Juan Martin del Potro, who also added a hint about his upcoming tennis comeback: "See you soon, friends!"

"Them," added Diego Schwartzman, adding a few heart-eyes emojis to a photo of Alcaraz with coach and former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Meanwhile, Bianca Andreescu and Victoria Azarenka both summed up the match, the moment and Alcaraz's epic comeback in just one word: