TENNIS starlet Eden Richardson has served up a national title.

The 12-year-old teamed up with Edinburgh’s Anastasia Mikheeva to win the girls’ under 12s doubles title at the AEGON British Junior National Championships in Bournemouth.

Eden and Anastasia defeated Georgina Axon and Katie Swan 6-3, 7-6 in the final on centre court at the West Hants Tennis Club.

Winning the doubles final made up for Eden’s earlier loss to Axon in the semi-finals of the U12s singles event.

Eden, of Stanney Oaks, Ellesmere Port, said: “I am really pleased to have won the doubles with Anastasia. That is the first time we have ever played together and we gelled really well.

“It was a great match and it was good to beat Georgina after she defeated me in the semi-finals. It is just nice to end on a high and hopefully Anastasia and I can play doubles again together.”

Eden had been hoping to follow in the footsteps of Andy Murray and Elena Baltacha – Britain’s current number one men’s and women’s players – by winning a singles title at the Bournemouth competition.

She was the number three seed and began her singles campaign with a first-round victory over Avon’s Lizzie Burton (3-6, 6-2, 6-3).

Eden needed only two sets to see off Alice Thane from Yorkshire 6-1, 6-3 in the next round, setting up a meeting with fifth seed Sophie Drakeford Lewis in the quarter-finals.

After almost three hours, the Ellesmere Port player prevailed – only to lose out to Axon in the semis.

“The match was a real close one,” said Eden. “She played some really good tennis. I was disappointed but that’s just the way it goes.”

Eden is a member of Ellesmere Port City Tennis Club and attends Whitby High School.