Lendl, Becker Advance; Chang Loses to Edberg : Wimbledon men: The top three seeded players win. Gilbert comes back to defeat Wheaton, 6-7 (10-8), 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 13-11.

They rolled out the heavy artillery Monday at Wimbledon, where the second week of the world’s biggest tennis shootout began with a mighty show of arms by the game’s power brokers.

Boris Becker aced Pat Cash three times in a crucial game and closed out Cash’s Wimbledon account, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1, 6-4.

It felt as natural as winding a watch, Becker said.

“It all clicked for me,” he said.

Ivan Lendl, tennis’ answer to Don Quixote, marched forward in his quest for his first Wimbledon title by completing his third-round match with Bryan Shelton, held over from Saturday because of darkness.

Lendl won, 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (7-4), 6-4, 6-4, and seemed perturbed about having to finish his match with Shelton later than he wanted.

“In the end, he paid for it,” Lendl said.

Stefan Edberg’s round trip from his home in Kensington lasted somewhat longer than his fourth-round match with Michael Chang.

Edberg, seeded third behind Lendl and Becker, needed only 1 hour 29 minutes in beating Chang, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.

Said Chang: “One, two and that’s it.”

Meanwhile, Brad Gilbert and David Wheaton played an entirely different type of match. Gilbert came from behind and won, 6-7 (10-8), 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 13-11, in 4 hours 10 minutes, although it seemed longer.

There were 43 aces in the match, 24 by Wheaton, who doesn’t think much of Gilbert’s chances against Becker. Wheaton was pretty abrupt about it.

Question: Does Gilbert have a chance against Becker?

Answer: No.

He offered more: “I don’t think Gilbert serves well enough, I don’t think he volleys well enough. If Becker serves well, I don’t think he has any chance at all.”

Actually, Gilbert has beaten Becker four times in his career and believes his fortunes at big tournaments are about to change.

“I’m overdue to get some decent luck in a major,” said Gilbert, who had been knocked out in the first round of the two previous Grand Slam tournaments he had entered.

Gilbert, who saved two match points in the fifth set, rescued his reputation from Wheaton.

“That’s probably why he’s 21 years old and ranked 29 spots behind me,” Gilbert said.

One big hitter beginning to draw attention is Goran Ivanisevic, the 18-year-old Yugoslav, who will play Kevin Curren in the quarterfinals.

Ivanisevic defeated Mark Koevermans in four sets and then said he gained new confidence in beating the Dutch clay-court specialist.

“I think I play unbelievable,” Ivanisevic said. “(Koevermans) won three matches here, which I think is unbelievable for him. The first set we play is unbelievable. And then I won. But I think, no, I don’t have any pressure, you know, if I play unbelievable again.”

Returning from a yearlong layoff after suffering a torn Achilles’ tendon, Cash tried to keep up with Becker, but failed. Cash, who blew two set points in the first set, said he still lacks some match toughness.

“I haven’t played a big match like that for years,” Cash said.

As usual, Cash did not leave all of his feistiness on the court. He got angry when questioned why he stayed out until late Saturday night.

“I was out until 1 o’clock,” Cash said. “Is that late? Are you my mother? I think I’m old enough now to know what I can and can’t do. OK, Mum?”

Lendl’s route to the only Grand Slam title he has not won will not be easy. Because his match with Shelton was delayed, Lendl must now play three consecutive days. He will play Alex Antonitsch today in the fourth round and then, presuming he wins, either Mark Woodforde or Brad Pearce in the quarterfinals Wednesday.

Lendl did not seem disturbed by the prospect. Instead, he noted his growing ease about playing on grass.

“I feel more natural on it,” Lendl said. “I think my footwork is better and I get to more shots and therefore I can break serve more often.

“I think that’s the main difference in my game,” he said. “If you break serve more often, there is not that much pressure on your serve because if you lose it once every now and then and you know you can break, that’s a good feeling.”

It is a feeling Chang did not know against Edberg. In a rematch of last year’s French Open final, Chang did not have a single break-point opportunity. Only two games reached deuce.

Chang was more frustrated by being off his game than by Edberg’s play.

“I’ve played Stefan so much, I’m not afraid to play him,” Chang said. “If I was to play somebody like Becker, it would be a little more tense. From Stefan, I know what to expect and today, he was just too good for me. It was just one of those days.”