VENUS IN GRAF'S ORBIT : WILLIAMS FACES STAR.

Byline: Joe Jares Daily News Staff Writer

At barely 16, when most girls would be worrying about a date for the prom, Venus Williams has a date to play the No. 1 player in the world, Steffi Graf.

Tonight at the Acura Classic in Manhattan Beach, Williams meets a woman who (a) is 11 years older, (b) is 191 rungs higher on the rankings ladder and (c) has won more Grand Slam tournaments (20) than her upstart rival has played pro matches (13).

If Williams is scared at the prospect, she didn't show it Tuesday after she knocked off No. 13-seed Linda Wild, 6-1, 6-2, in the second round. (Williams also beat Ludmila Richterova of Slovakia in the first round in three sets.)

``I think everybody always wants to play the No. 1 player in the world,'' Williams said. ``I think it will be fun.''

``If Venus plays the type of tennis she is capable of playing,'' said Williams' father and coach, Richard, ``I don't think Steffi Graf is going to run right through her.''

Graf, who had a bye in the first round, defeated Katrina Adams of Texas, 6-4, 6-2, in the second.

``It wasn't an easy match because she doesn't give you a rhythm,'' said Graf. ``So you have to play every point from the beginning on. It was a little bit more difficult for a first (match) than I wanted to have.''

In Williams, Graf will face an opponent who has plenty of rough edges but who pulverizes the ball on every shot and serves very well.

Williams, who spent most of her youth in Compton but now lives in Florida, beat 18th-ranked Amy Frazier last year, and, in 1994, took world No. 2 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario to three sets before losing.

Williams hasn't played many pro matches, but has a multiyear clothing contract and already is wealthy - based on her potential alone.

``I have never really seen a whole lot of her matches,'' said Graf. ``She physically overpowers the ball. So it's just a matter of being patient with her.''

At about the same time girl wonder Williams was making news, ex-girl wonder Jennifer Capriati, 20, was dropping out of her second straight tournament because of what was announced as ``a left gluteal strain'' - call it a sore hip.

``It's the same injury that I suffered last week in Montreal,'' she said. ``I was hoping that it would be well enough for me to play this week. I had been practicing really lightly the last few days and then, yesterday, I went harder in the practice and I aggravated it. . . .''

``I'm going to head back to Florida and just give the injury the rest and treatment it needs. I'm hoping to be completely healed for the U.S. Open.''

It was another, if relatively minor, setback in Capriati's career, which has been beset by burnout and a drug arrest - strains other than gluteal. Women's tennis, which needs stars to challenge Graf, Monica Seles and Sanchez Vicario, hopes Capriati gets completely healed in every way.

Girl-wonder note: When Capriati was only about a month older than Williams is now - 16 years, 3 months - she became the youngest player to surpass $1 million in prize money.

Davenport rolls: In the featured evening match at the Manhattan Country Club, Olympic champion Lindsay Davenport started slowly but then rolled over Francesca Lubiani of Italy 7-5, 6-2.

``I didn't play well,'' Davenport said, ``but sometimes it's good to win when not playing your best.''

With the Williams-Graf match on reporters' minds, Davenport, 20, was asked about her first meeting with a world star.

What was she thinking back then?

It was in the second round of the Lipton tournament in Florida against Sanchez Vicario a few years ago, recalled Davenport, and what was going through her mind was: ``Please don't let me get killed.''

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Photo

PHOTO (color) Steffi Graf advanced Tuesday in the Acura Cla ssic and will play Venus Williams today.

Associated Press