LONDON (AFP) - Roger Federer should still be regarded as the favourite to win Wimbledon despite his French Open mauling against Rafa Nadal, according to 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt.

Federer looked more vulnerable than ever before as he was destroyed in three sets by Nadal in the Paris final on Sunday, fuelling predictions that the Spaniard will take his title at the All-England club.

But Hewitt, the last man before Federer to win Wimbledon, is convinced the Swiss will show the same mental resolve that allowed him to bounce back from French Open defeats against Nadal over the last three years.

"He lost two times in the finals, once in the semis to Rafa at Roland Garros in the last three years and he's been able to bounce back pretty well on the grass," Hewitt said.

"There's no doubt he'll be disappointed. Rightly so. That's the one tournament missing off his career list.

"I think he's mentally tough enough to know. He still thinks he's the best grass court player out there, so he deserves to be the favorite going into Wimbledon."

Hewitt, now ranked 30th in the world, is hopeful of winning Wimbledon again, but concedes Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic are better positioned to lift the famous gold trophy.

"Those three guys have been the standout obviously since Djokovic, last year, he had a good year on all surfaces, winning his first major in Melbourne, as well," Hewitt said.

"There's no doubt those three guys, they deserve to be the three favourites."