Probably not. You can still respect a man and still consider yourself a better general, especially if your record shows it. Grant, of one, respected Lee as a man and as a commander but he wasn't in awe of him. When his subordinates cautioned him about Lee early in the 1864 Overland Campaign, Grant's reply was, “Oh, I am heartily tired of hearing about what Lee is going to do. Some of you always seem to think he is suddenly going to turn a double somersault, and land in our rear and on both of our flanks at the same time. Go back to your command, and try to think what we are going to do ourselves, instead of what Lee is going to do.”
Not the words of a man who felt inferior to his opponent.
You are correct, and i misspoke.
That was a very wise statement, and attitude, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he disdained Lee or even thought himself better.
Grant was right not to worry so much about Lee’s approach, regardless.