"When he beat me, he was very shy, nervous and said 'I'm sorry'" - Carlos Moya recalls the time he lost to a 16-year-old Rafael Nadal in Hamburg

Rafael Nadal and coach Carlos Moya may be on the same team right now, but 19 years ago, the two found themselves on the opposite sides of the net. Moya was one of the best players in the world at the time, while Nadal was a teenage prodigy beginning to make his mark on the ATP tour.

The two faced off for the first time in Hamburg in 2003, with Nadal winning the match in straight sets.

In a video posted by the Rafa Nadal Academy, Carlos Moya recalled the match and how it played out. The Spaniard said neither player showcased their best level due to nerves. He also revealed that Nadal ended up apologizing to him after winning the match.

"It was not my best game, honestly. He also did not play that great, we were both a little bit nervous about the situation. I knew what could happen when he played against me, he respected me, and when he beat me, he was very shy, nervous and said - I'm sorry, I won - and I said - no worries," Moya said.

---

"We got a glimpse of what his game would become later" - Carlos Moya on his loss to Rafael Nadal in Hamburg

Moya and Nadal at the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals

The fact that a 16-year-old was able to humble Moya, who was one of the greatest claycourters of his generation, on the red dirt, was a testament to the talent that Rafael Nadal possessed from a very young age.

According to Moya, Nadal showed glimpses of his greatness in that match and played with a maturity well beyond his years.

"That day we were rivals. We were friends, training partners and that day we were rivals for the first time in an official championship. Well, at that time, I was considered the favorite, I was among the top-5 in the world and he, well, I don't remember very well, should have been 50,60,70 or something like that," Moya admitted.

"But hey, his level was not there. He was a very young boy of 16 who had already beat Albert Costa in Monte Carlo months before or the year before and was already someone to look out for, we got a glimpse of what his game would become later."

Moya said that from the moment he faced Nadal in Hamburg, he knew that the Spaniard was destined for greatness.

"I understood that it was the first of many times that he would win and I knew he would go on to be a great player but, well, he also showed me that he also had what it takes to win and be in the top 10 and after that he had fullfilled all that he promised at that time," the coach added.

---

Also Check Out: Nadal French Open Titles