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It was the statement that ensured the British public took Laura Robson to their hearts. “I want to take Venus down,” she said after winning Junior Wimbledon in 2008. Five years later as she took on her heroine for the very first time, Robson got her wish, overcoming windy conditions to triumph 6-3, 6-2, against the seven-time Grand Slam winner. Next up for Robson is Venus’ sister Serena on Tuesday night, not that the 19-year-old is daunted by the challenge she faces. “I’ve never played Serena and I have always wanted to,” said Robson. “It’ll be a good test and she is playing probably her best tennis and so she is not losing and so its going to be insanely tough but I’m just going to go out there and do my best.  “I just like it on big courts against these huge players because I just go out there with nothing to lose and you do get a little more nervous towards the end of the match but yes, generally I find it easier to close it out against top players and so I think I need to do this more with players of my own ranking. “I can remember seeing Venus play at Wimbledon when I was about 10 and I was kind of blown away with the speed that she hit the ball and today when she hit it in the centre of the racquet it was basically point over so I just had to take my chance.  “I was pretty pumped. I can remember saying when I was 14 that I wanted to play Venus and I got my wish. It was a tough job but you know I have had my share of easy draws this year so I was really excited to get out there today and they were telling me to calm down before the match because I was jumping around – I had do much energy. “I can remember I said I would take her down after the junior final and my mum sent it to me the other day to remind me about it as if I could have forgotten saying something so stupid.” Robson is once again box office for a second day running, and Serena had only positive things to say about her first opponent after arriving in Rome fresh from success in Madrid. “She has a great game and is really young and just free and looks great on the court and so smooth and she is a leftie and this adds a notch to her level,” Serena explained. “She’s a great girl and good to see her.” There were no major surprises on the first day of women’s main competition at the Foro Italico with seeds Sam Stosur and Jelena Jankovic along with German Sabine Lisicki safely through.