Hingis Throws the Kitchen Sink at Graf : Wimbledon: But promising Swiss teen-ager still loses to top-ranked player, 6-3, 6-1.

There’s something endearing about the way 14-year-old Martina Hingis, identified as the next big thing of women’s tennis, fearlessly flung her young game at Steffi Graf, the current big thing, during their brief encounter in the first round of Wimbledon play Tuesday.

Hingis was making her debut on Centre Court and betrayed no nerves as she faced both the tradition of the setting and the power and command of the top-ranked and top-seeded player. Instead, she boldly, and as it turned out, foolishly, chose to attack Graf’s feared forehand and tried to out-hit a big hitter.

There seemed little chance that Graf would lose, as she had in the first round here last year.

Graf won, 6-3, 6-1, but there was tremendous entertainment value in Hingis’ audacity. At one point, she had the nerve to serve wide to Graf’s forehand--something akin to loading the gun for your executioner.

Graf, who at 25 is already in her 12th year as a professional, seemed bemused by Hingis and the boundless optimism that seems to be the underpinning for the tactical decisions the youngster makes on court.

“I think that’s what’s so nice about youth,” Graf said. “That you’re not afraid and you’re looking forward to going out on the court, whoever it is. I think that you even take it more as a challenge, playing the top players.

“Being the first time on Centre Court, I think in the beginning you are much fresher. You enjoy it a lot more and you just relax more. You don’t think everything is so important.”

Hingis tried every shot imaginable against Graf. She absorbed the pace of Graf’s shots and transferred that power to her own shots. The Swiss teen-ager had some success at sharply angled shots, but her lack of a credible serve ended the struggle.

Hingis, speaking through an interpreter, said she was surprised at the pace of the match.

“I didn’t have time to react and I was just hoping that [Graf] would make some mistakes,” she said. “It was very hard for me, especially on Centre Court against Steffi, because it’s like a carpet and one slides a lot on it.”

Graf, who turned pro at 13, was charitable about Hingis’ future, saying Hingis had the makings of a future Wimbledon champion.

“I think, at 14, she has achieved so much. It’s very surprising that she’s so calm and collected on the court and she plays intelligent tennis. At 14, you don’t see that very often. I think she has shown in the past year that’s she’s not too young to play.”