Victor Hanescu recalls what it was like facing Rafael Nadal, says he "couldn't imagine how a person can move so fast"
Former World No. 26 Victor Hanescu recently described what it felt like to face 20-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal on the court.
Hanescu squared off against Nadal four times in main draw matches during his playing days, losing in straight sets each time. And in a recent interview, the Romanian talked about how Nadal's speed around the court and ability to retrieve balls made him an 'extraordinary' opponent.
"It's incredible to play against Rafael Nadal, it's impressive," Hansecu said. "There were times when I couldn't imagine how a person can move so fast and get to some balls that were not possible for others. At that moment, you realize that you have someone extraordinary in front of you."
Hanescu, who reached his lone Grand Slam quarterfinal at the 2005 French Open, also asserted that Nadal’s success didn't change his intrinsic humility and down-to-earth nature.
"Honestly, [Rafa] is very polite, he's an athlete who talks to everyone," Hanescu said. "He's very modest and that's seen in everything he says."
"I remember I was at the Beijing Olympics," the 39-year-old added. "At the opening ceremony, Nadal was next to our group. He was surrounded by hundreds of athletes who wanted to take a picture with him. Nadal was taking pictures with everyone, he never said he didn't feel like it or couldn't. He took pictures with everyone and that shows what kind of man he is."
I realized he is a sensational player, but in that match I was a little better: Victor Hanescu on beating Rafael Nadal in the Paris Masters qualifiers
While the official head-to-head between Rafael Nadal and Victor Hanescu stands at 4-0 in Nadal's favor, Hanescu does have one win over the Spaniard. That came in the qualifiers (which are not counted in ATP head-to-head records) of the 2003 Paris Masters, when Nadal was a rising 17-year-old on the tour.
The Romanian won the match 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (3), but he could sense the precocious talent in Rafael Nadal even back then.
"People didn't know him very well then, they just said he was a young prospect," Hanescu recalled. "It was a very good match for me. I realized that he is a sensational player, but in that match I was a little better. I managed to beat him in three sets, in the tie-break in the decisive one. The match was very close."