No Quest About It for Edberg : Wimbledon: He ends Lendl’s dream for the first title in straight sets. Becker survives an assault by Ivanisevic.

Once again, Wimbledon spurned its most ardent suitor, slamming the door on Ivan Lendl, who packed his racket, wiped his face with a towel and walked off in defeat one more time.

Lendl calmly made a quick review of his options: “What can you do? Stop playing?”

It hardly seemed fair. Lendl spends 13 months practicing on grass courts on three continents to prepare for Wimbledon only to get a single break-point chance in his semifinal against Stefan Edberg.

Having achieved the tennis equivalent of one first down, Lendl was thrown for a 6-1, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 loss Friday by Edberg, who will meet Boris Becker to decide the championship of tennis’ biggest event for the third consecutive year.

Becker trimmed 18-year-old Goran Ivanisevic in a power struggle, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-0, 7-6 (7-5). Becker thought he was looking in a mirror.

“Goran has the hardest serve and the best serve of anybody I’ve ever played,” Becker said.

Anybody?

“I don’t play myself,” Becker said.

Ivanisevic finished his first Grand Slam semifinal with 14 aces to bring his six-match total to 106.

“It was fun, it was nice, I am happy,” said Ivanisevic, who watched Becker put 15 aces past him.

Edberg’s victory over top-seeded Lendl was considered only a mild upset. Lendl had skipped the French Open to concentrate on his quest for the only Grand Slam title he has never won, but he had not faced a seeded player here this year before Edberg.

It took only 1 hour 48 minutes for Edberg to finish the match and only a few seconds more to reveal the depth of his sympathy for Lendl.

“I don’t feel bad about it at all,” Edberg said.

His latest Wimbledon exit didn’t bother Lendl nearly as much as the one he made a year ago, when he lost to Becker in the semifinals. Lendl led Becker by two breaks in the third set when rain interrupted the match. He fell apart as soon as play resumed.

Lendl was so distraught, he left the court without waiting for Becker or bowing to the Royal Box. The ease with which Edberg handled him made it easier for Lendl to accept this time.

“I think last year was more disappointing because last year I had a real chance in the semis. . . . Today I didn’t,” Lendl said. “Today, Stefan played basically great tennis and he outplayed me. Last year, I was a bit unlucky.”

Actually, Lendl was unlucky this year, too. He had to play four matches in five days after darkness postponed the completion of his third-round match against Bryan Shelton from Sunday to Monday.

Lendl’s problems Friday centered around his inability to handle Edberg’s serve, as well as finding himself a step too slow. Lendl thought he knew why his mobility was reduced.

“I guess all the matches together . . . , “ he said.

Lendl’s best chance came in the second-set tiebreaker, but Edberg pulled it out, three times blasting winners on returns of Lendl’s serve. As Lendl’s hopes flagged, Edberg’s soared.

“When I won that second set, I felt really confident that I could win in three straight,” Edberg said.

In the third set, the only break Edberg needed came with Lendl serving in the sixth game. A topspin lob that spun away from Lendl, followed by a cross-court passing shot that he picked up on a short hop, gave Edberg two chances to break to 4-2.

He needed only one. Lendl missed his first serve. Edberg returned Lendl’s second serve head-high, and Lendl hit the volley long. Soon it was over. Perhaps sensing the cause was lost, Lendl sprayed two balls into the net, a third long and the final one wide.

Lendl said there will be another chance, another time.

“I still feel I have a few good years left,” he said.

However, Edberg sounded as if the Wimbledon trophy will remain out of Lendl’s grasp.

“It is more and more difficult each year, and I think it would be very difficult,” Edberg said.

Later, Ivanisevic was being difficult for Becker, who was in danger of losing the first two sets.

Ivanisevic broke Becker in the 11th game and served for the second set at 6-5, but Becker broke back to even the set and force a tiebreaker.

Ivanisevic explained: “He broke me 6-5, bad time.”

Ivanisevic led, 3-0, but Becker won seven of the next eight points.

Ivanisevic explained further: “After 3-0, he started to play unbelievable, you know. Bad luck.”

Becker’s good luck continued. He closed out the tiebreaker with flair. Leading, 5-4, his topspin lob landed squarely on the line and caught Ivanisevic flat-footed. Then on set point, Becker returned a first serve, and Ivanisevic decided not to hit it. He realized his error when the ball landed just inside the baseline.

The third set went quickly to Becker, but Ivanisevic said he had not been unnerved by losing the second-set tiebreaker.

“Maybe a little bit in the tiebreaker I was thinking I am two sets to love up,” Ivanisevic said. “I was thinking too much. Then he is serving unbelievable.”

No one broke serve in the fourth set, so Becker and Ivanisevic went to another tiebreaker. At 5-5, Becker served to Ivanisevic’s backhand, and the return went into the net. When Ivanisevic pulled an easy volley into the net, Becker felt fortunate he had survived.

“It was one of the best grass court matches I have ever played,” Becker said. “It was an important match for me. I had to dig down deep. That’s why I was relieved when it was over.

“In the fourth set, I was just two or three balls better. He made life difficult.”

Lendl’s entire Wimbledon experience has gone much the same way. Nothing in his life has been as difficult as winning the Grand Slam title to which he has devoted the rest of his career.

Yet, Lendl seemed oddly serene as he discussed his defeat.

No, he didn’t regret focusing so intently on Wimbledon. Yes, he will probably do the same thing next year. And if he never wins Wimbledon, well, at least he tried.

“I think I still should be very proud of the way I played on grass this year,” he said. “I do the best I can, and that is the most you can ask for. I think it’s nice to win, but if you give it all you have and you don’t win, that’s just tough.”