HARPENDEN tennis starlet Emily Arbuthnott is just one win away from being crowned under-16s champion at the Aegon British Junior National Championships after winning 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 in a really hard-fought match against no.1 seed Gabriella Taylor to make the final in Nottingham.

The 15-year-old gave everything on court to come through against Taylor, who was considered good enough to be granted a wildcard into Junior Wimbledon this year, and even survived a late wobble when 5-1 up in the third set to eventually come through.

And having lost to the same player in the quarter-finals of the under-14s age group last year Arbuthnott was left speechless but insisted the win over someone over 200 places above her in the world junior rankings had put her confidence through the roof.

“I’m in total shock,” she said. “I really had no expectation of winning but I am so pleased to have done so – It is just an amazing feeling although I can’t really believe it.

“I played one of the best matches of my life last year against Gabby and she beat me easily so, wow, it is one of the best wins of my life.

“In the past when I have come up against people like Gabby and they have just come back from playing for GB I would think they must be brilliant. But this just goes to show I am not that far away so I couldn’t be happier.”

The Aegon British Junior National Championships in Nottingham runs from Sunday August 18 until Saturday August 24 while the under-12 tournament takes place at West Hants Club in Bournemouth.

It is a showcase for British tennis and the best junior talent, with past champions including the current Wimbledon champion, Andy Murray and former British No.1 Elena Baltacha.