KUALA LUMPUR, March 15  -- Muhammad Hafiz Hashim, who won the men's singles title for Malaysia at the prestigious All-England badminton championship in 2003, said he was very proud to see Datuk Lee Chong Wei repeat the feat this year.

"I was amazed by Chong Wei's fightback despite trailing early in the final yesterday. But in the end his determination to win made all the difference in achieving victory over his young Japanese opponent," he said when contacted by Bernama here on Monday.

He said Chong Wei's win was also proof that Malaysians were capable of taking on the best in the world.

"The success in good for Chong Wei himself and all Malaysian badminton fans," he added.

Chong Wei, the top ranked singles player in the world and the top seed at the championship which entered its 100th edition this year, overcame a gritty challenge from unseeded Kenichi Tago to clinch the title in straight sets of 21-19 and 21-19.

It was only the third time Malaysia had lifted the much coveted title with the first time having been in 1966 through Tan Aik Huang.