"Even this version of Novak Djokovic would defeat this young generation" - Fans react as clip of Serb's first-ever tennis lesson at age 4 goes viral

A resurfaced clip of Novak Djokovic taking part in his first-ever tennis lesson at the age of four has left tennis fans awestruck.

Djokovic recently clinched his seventh ATP Finals crown, surpassing Roger Federer to become the player with the most titles at the year-end championships. Having secured his record-extending eighth year-end No. 1 finish during his campaign, the Serb also began his 400th week atop the rankings, becoming the first player in history to achieve this milestone.

Amid the 24-time Grand Slam champion's recent accomplishments, a clip from 1991 resurfaced on social media showcasing his first-ever tennis lesson. The footage captured the Serb learning fundamental techniques such as holding a racquet correctly, mastering forehand and backhand stances, and executing groundstrokes under the guidance of his childhood coach.

His childhood coach recognized the four-year-old's potential for greatness even at his young age, much to the amazement of tennis fans.

"Look, a champion, he knows. Let's go," the Serb's coach said.

One fan humorously suggested that even as a four-year-old, Djokovic would have the edge over the current generation of tennis stars.

"I’m not joking when I say that even this version of Djokovic would defeat this young generation," the fan commented.

Another fan joked about his childhood coach's unawareness that the young talent he was coaching would eventually go on to become the greatest player in history.

"Coach probably had no idea he was teaching the greatest tennis player of all time," the fan posted.

Here are a few more fan reactions:

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Novak Djokovic on facing his younger self: "I would give the young myself a hard time"

Novak Djokovic

Following his ATP Finals triumph against Jannik Sinner in Italy, Novak Djokovic was asked whether his present self was stronger than the version of him from 10 years ago. The Serb confidently affirmed that his present self undoubtedly had the edge over his version from 2013.

"10 years ago was 2013, so I would say Novak of today. 2015 was one of the best years, probably the best year I had with 19 finals in a row on all the tournaments, three out of four slams. I had quite a great 18 months in 2015 and half of 2016," Djokovic said in his post-match press conference.

The Serb also highlighted the challenges of such a comparison due to the differences in his current schedule compared to that of his 2013 self.

"Again, the moments in time are different for me. I don't try to play as much as I did play 10 years ago. I have to pick and choose the right tournaments and right periods of the year where I can perform my best. It's tough to compare," he added.

While contemplating a hypothetical showdown between the two, the 24-time Grand Slam champion asserted that he would give his younger self a "hard time."

"But someone did ask me the same question not a while ago. The question was actually phrased like, Who would win in the matchup? I said it would be an easy job for a 36-year-old, yeah (laughter). Joking, of course. I don't know what would be the score. I would give the young myself a hard time, that's for sure," he said.