"They have really stepped it up in this tournament and given a couple of other teams here a good run for their money," she said of India, who lost1-2 to China and 2-4 to the United States but tenaciously held world No2 Australia to a scoreless draw on Tuesday.
World No4 New Zealand, Roberts felt, had played their games well and deserved to be at the top of the table.
"So to play India is a testament to how we've been performing in pool games ... but we won't take them lightly."
She was expecting a physical encounter tonight from the Roelant Oltmans-coached Indians. The Dutchman has added value to their individual skills with European defence. Roberts was mindful that under the new philosophy India were capable of absorbing pressure to mount counter-attacks.
The Dutch influence, she said, added to that element of variation to what the seven other nations had brought to the nine-day tourney.
"They have the depth to go very quickly from defence to attack so it's something we'll have to be wary of."
India, she felt, had adopted a longer passing game to their repertoire so the Black Sticks were working on ensuring they didn't have holes in their defensive structure.
While she's used to winds buffeting games in Wellington, Roberts said the fickle Hawke's Bay weather would not be something they would dwell on.
"The main thing is whatever happens tomorrow with the weather doesn't affect us on the pitch - stop us from running or working hard."
Winning 3-2 against defending champions Argentina and then backing it up with a 2-1 result against South Korea was a reflection of the hosts' thriving on a collective culture. Their only blemish was South Korea holding them to a 2-2 stalemate.
The rear guard of the Black Sticks have shown a degree of composure and rigidity that flustered even the self-assured Argentines who,rather transparently, exposed individualism - perhaps in an attempt to reveal the next Luciana Aymar.
"If we've got a solid defence then it makes it easy," Roberts said, adding starving opposition strikers of possession and space would enable their coal-face foragers to engineer relentless attacks.
Roberts was destined for hockey and showed stick skills from the age of 10.
Her sister, Niniwa Roberts, 38, is a former Black Sticks striker who represented the country 141 times and scored 47 goals.
"Having a sister like her and watching her play made me want to do well in the game as well.
"It's not often you can say you have a sister who went to two Olympic Games. Having her as an inspiration sort of drives you to train like her and have the same goals as her."
Niniwa Roberts was part of the teams to the Athens and Beijing Olympics as well as the 2002 Perth World Cup and numerous Champions Trophy tourneys.
"It's kind of easy to want the same thing and follow in her footsteps."
Her family lived and breathed hockey, with her socially competitive hockey parents stirring the appetite in their children.
"Hockey can be a tough sport and there can be highs and lows with team sports but the main thing is to enjoy it because if you're not then you have to ask yourself why you are still playing it."
The beaming former Wellington East Girls' College pupil said her first XI team had secured a top-eight finish at the schools' Fed Cup.
High school coach Di Jordan had an initial impact on her style but sister Niniwa helped mould her for an elite level in the NHL for Capital before Australian coach Hager fished out the midfielder and transformedher into a daunting defender.
Stage set for top action
In just its second year, the Eight Nation tourney has served up a mouthwatering playoff scenario from today.
The quarter-finals begin at 1.30pm with traditional arch rivals China taking on Japan at 1.30pm.
The former are the top pool A qualifiers, shunting upstarts and World No 2 hockeyroos to third place after the latter's three stalemates.
The United States are in second place with a win, draw and loss each compared with China's two wins and a stalemate.
India are fourth with a draw and two losses.
In the pool crossover format, India play pool B top qualifiers New Zealand at 6pm.
No doubt, the game between the disappointed Aussies and defending champions Argentina at 3.45pm should be a humdinger so early in the scramble for semifinal berths.
For the Las Leonas to progress it is imperative they play as a team rather than individuals.
The new-look Argies are smarting after losing 3-2 to the Kiwis.
The Americans will complete a thrilling night of entertainment when they cross sticks against South Korea at 8.15pm.
The Argies qualified second in pool B, a point behind the hosts while Korea were next with one victory and Japan managing a draw in a similar vein to India.
