VENUS Williams celebrated her seventeenth birthday yesterday by beating Chanda Rubin in straight sets in the Eastbourne tournament on grass.

Williams, a qualifier in her first grass-court tournament, beat her American compatriot 6-4, 6-4 in a sloppy match full of unforced errors. ''I didn't take my chances and she did,'' said Rubin.

Williams' next opponent will be Nathalie Tauziat, who upset No.5 seed Mary Joe Fernandez 7-6, 7-5.

In other matches in this Wimbledon tune-up, No.6 seed Irina Spirlea beat Ines Gorrochategui; No.7 Kimberly Po came back from a set to beat Katarina Studenikova 0-6, 7-6, 6-2; and No.8 Brenda Schultz-McCarthy eased past Helena Sukova 6-3, 7-6.

The top four seeds - Monica Seles, Jana Novotna, Iva Majoli and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario - had byes.

Williams has grabbed plenty of attention with her unique silver outfit, but said she has a white one ready for Wimbledon.

But Williams revealed she also has a white body suit. ''Anne White is my role model,'' she said, referring to the anti-establishment American in the 1980s. ''Maybe I'll wear it,'' she said. ''Or maybe I should wear my grey.''