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Challenge ... Lleyton Hewitt thrives as the underdog. Source: Alastair Grant / AP
Roger Rasheed has backed former charge Lleyton Hewitt to defy age, injury and history to deliver an impact at Wimbledon next week.
At 32 and ranked 70th in the world, Hewitt has not won a grand slam since sweeping to the 2002 All England Club title.
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But Rasheed, who guided the former world No.1 into the 2005 Australian Open final, says an intense fire still burns in the injury-battered baseliner.
"Lleyton was was born for the big match,'' he said.
"(He would say) 'Put me in a big match now, big crowd, put me in another country. Give it to me.'
"No one taught him that. That was just him.''
Rasheed and Hewitt started their partnership ignominiously in 2003 when, as defending champion, he lost in the first round of Wimbledon.
Hewitt's early-round vulnerability lingers but Rasheed believes that if the former world champion gets a decent draw at Wimbledon, he will be dangerous.
"You're more nervous in the first round of a grand slam anywhere in the world than in the semi-finals or the second week,'' said Rasheed, who now works with Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
"When you walk in the second week, you didn't always have to talk to Lleyton.
"You talked, but it was 'Bring it, give it to me.'
"And you knew he'd perform. Barely did he ever not perform in a big moment.''
He watched Hewitt's semi-final surge at Queen's Club last week and was impressed.
"I'm never amazed (at Hewitt's achievements) because I spent so much time with him,'' Rasheed said.
"It's just his mind, mentality he loves it all.
"The fact that he plays tall guys on grass, I like that set-up for him all the time, because it sort of works for him.
"I'm glad to see him winning some matches because that gives him a lot more oomph going into Wimbledon, for sure.''
The Wimbledon draw will be held on Friday.
Sam Stosur will be Australia's only seeded singles player all other competitors will have to rely on luck to avoid the big names in the opening rounds.
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