Britain's Laura Robson and Heather Watson ready to come of age "Er, come to think of it, Rafa wins all the time, so maybe that's not the best example," concedes Robson, doubling back with delightful diplomacy. Of course, nobody, least of all the 18-year-old Robson and Watson, 19, can still predict with any certainty how far their long-admired talent is going to take them but British tennis, happy to see them announced today as Great Britain team-mates again for next week's Fed Cup tie in Sweden, still feels rejuvenated by their energising presence. The pair have swished through the hype and hoopla since Robson dazzlingly won the Wimbledon girls" title at 14 and Watson landed the equivalent US Open crown at 17 but now come the real tests of character as they find themselves inhabiting a grown-up world where progress can seem so much harder and slower to eke out, measured perhaps by the odd rise of a few places in the WTA rankings, and setbacks are commonplace. Watson, who reached as high as 87 last September, is back to 116 with Robson at 123. Breaking into the top 100 and staying there is a tough ask and involves considerable worldwide slog. Currently, they lose as many games as they win on tour and both have had niggling injuries to contend with. But then neither of them has ever bought into any fantasies that they would cut an instant, effortless swathe through the senior ranks. Although they have known each other for about eight years, they reckon they have never once sat down before and talked about the peculiar pressures they faced as British "wonder kids." I've never really paid any attention to it. Otherwise I'd have the biggest ego ever," says Robson, while Watson chips in that being held up as the future of British tennis has "never felt like a burden" to her. "If we keep progressing the way we are, I think we'll do very well and have great careers," she says, matter of fact. They still radiate the unerring confidence of youth. When we chatted in the Israeli resort of Eilat, they were at the heart of what felt like a major leap forward for British tennis as the Aegon GB team, under the new galvanising stewardship of captain Judy Murray, won four ties in successive days. If the team win in Sweden next week, it will push them into a World Group of the Fed Cup for the first time in 18 years. Underpinning it all has been the youngsters" infectious enthusiasm. Not only did they win all three of their doubles matches in Eilat, including one decider against the Dutch, but both of the senior singles players, Anne Keothavong and Elena Baltacha, admitted their inspired form was partially down to being energised by the two shivering kids cheerleading, dancing and making up terrible, corny chants at courtside. "We do have a great laugh," says Watson. Trying to work out how long they have known each other, they recall a junior tournament when Robson was about 10. We didn't really speak to start with. I just saw her practising. I was two years younger and no one wants to hang around with the younger kids. That's so not cool," recalls Robson. Yet the more Robson saw of her Guernsey-born, Florida-based, Nick Bollettieri-backed elder at junior tournaments, the matier they became as they realised how alike they were too. "We're both a bit crazy," muses Watson. Laura's very intelligent, very good with baking and at the Wii dance game and always up for a good time. Watson, says Robson, is "charismatic, funny, generally a lot of fun to be around and I would say more outgoing than me." Pardon? More outgoing than a girl who had her team-mates practically crying with laughter when she entertained the mayor of Eilat, other dignitaries and team officials at the Fed Cup dinner by booming out the rap: "I like big butts and I cannot lie!"? Yes, says Watson, that's the Laura she knows and loves. The darts-loving, Marat Safin-admiring Laura, who somehow managed to bring a game called Pass the Bomb through Israeli customs, is some character. Along with the laughter comes the serious business of trying to establish themselves in the senior ranks. It's tough to make that transition from juniors. Not a lot of people can do it," says Watson. But I think we've both made it well. The other week in Miami, Watson, who has only recently been able to play without strapping on an ankle after suffering an injury while playing football at her Florida base, enjoyed a couple of excellent wins, including one against world No 25 Lucie Safarova. These are the sort of moments to make them believe in Olympic year. They want to fight their way to about No 70 in the rankings by midsummer - Baltacha is 62 and Keothavong 73 - to be in with a shout of Olympic selection. "It's a tough goal but something I think we're both capable of," says Watson. And the dream of perhaps being doubles partners there? It's definitely a possibility. Anyway, if I don't make it to the Games, I'll go and watch it anyway," insists Robson. Then, of course, there will be the madness surrounding Wimbledon which they are becoming used to. Last year, there were tears for Watson after injury derailed her, and cheers for Robson when she gave Maria Sharapova a run for her shrieking money. How did they cope with the hype? "I'm definitely indifferent to that because I don't read the paper," says Robson. "The only time I saw it during Wimbledon was when my dad showed me the Evening Standard which had a picture of some random guy and a caption which said it was "Laura Robson's father." Then they pinned it up at my dad's work - so he wasn't best pleased! They cannot wait to go head to head again after Robson won their first-ever match, a three-setter, in Barnstaple last October. "I thought it was a really good match but I couldn't believe what a fuss was made over it," says Robson. Sky TV even came down. It was ridiculous. They may have to get used to it. There remains unmistakable star quality surrounding the pair but the most striking thing about them, amid all their joshing and Wii dancing, is that they are under no illusions that their luminous talent will count for nothing without the requisite slog. After hearing Robson rave about her potential, Watson repays the compliment, talking about a girl who has "the perfect game" to make it all the way to the top. But neither takes anything for granted. "You just never know," smiles Watson. If we did know, what fun would that be? That's the excitement for us, there's so much to look forward to. And so much for British tennis to anticipate, too, with its likely lasses.