MANILA, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Although he failed to advance to the gold medal match, Filipino Cecil Mamiit succeeded in snapping the Philippines' four-decade long medal drought in tennis in the Asian Games, local media reported on Wednesday.

    Not since Jesus Hernandez captured the bronze in tennis singles in the 1966 Bangkok Asiad had the Philippines won a medal in the sport in the quadrennial event, said a report by The Philippine Star daily.

    It was actually late Monday when Mamiit, employing the Filipinos' never-say-die-spirit, assured the country of a bronze in the singles when he fought back from a set down to defeat Chinese Taipei's Wang Yeu Tzuoo, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2, said the report.

    "The key was never to give up and the crowd helped me a lot. I just had to keep going," said the 30-year-old Mamiit.

    That victory over Wang sent Mamiit to the semis but the Filipino failed in his bid against top seed Lee Hyung Taik of South Korea, 5-7, 0-6, and settled for the bronze.

    Whatever, Mamiit's bronze medal feat, which helped hike Philippine delegation's medal haul to 2-5-9 (gold-silver-bronze) through Day 12, is already a different story for Philippine tennis, said the report.