Hello, Novak Djokovic! You missed tennis.

Your best bet has been gone for more than a minute. He went to the desert for what seems to be a couple of years ago. Even when you were there, you were not really there.

Body problem. Head problem. You were not yourself.

It was really surprising.

I can not believe I have to call it back, but it was not so long ago that you were the best male tennis player in the world.

You were the boss, the capo, the patron. People had the habit of writing stories about how Roger Federer would never win another big one, and you were the main reason why. You were the roadblock. You went 82-6 in 2015, winning three of the four majors.

You have a record of life wins against Federer and Nadal. People forget that. That's the bananas.

So you're gone. Sunday's Wimbledon final was the first big final you played in almost two years.

How did he feel, Novak, to be in the desert? Playing hurt is awful. The missing time is worse. After losing in this tournament last year, you have closed for the rest of your 2017 season.

Everyone was an expert on your problems. The strangers wanted to separate you. Diagnose you. Psychoanalysis. Cut yourself open.

You worked your elbow after Australia. But even when you came back, you were a "Oh yeah". As in "Oh yes, Novak is also in this tournament."

Like that Wimbledon. You have been ranked # 12 here. A good seed, considering your recent game, but you are a three-time champion. They did not put you in the Center Court until last Wednesday. It must have made you lose a little bit.

Now, at age 31, you're back. On Sunday, you defeated Kevin Anderson in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (3) to win your fourth Wimbledon men's singles title.

And yet, this title is a little surprising, probably even for you.

"The last two years, they have not been so easy," you said when it was over. "I've had a lot of moments of doubt."

The last match was pretty painless, but it was not the case. You endured a semifinal monster with Nadal, which lasted one night and one afternoon, thanks to Anderson's marathon with John Isner.

No disrespect to Anderson playing the best tennis of his life. actually the final, is not it? It lasted five sets and more than five hours, and Nadal had more than a few chances.

But as he raised, you continued to raise, too. This is what reminded people of the old days.

At best, I think you're a vampire. I mean that in the best way possible: if you want to defeat Novak Djokovic in prime time, you have to throw him a vampire stake. Until then, you continue to come, to come, to come, relentlessly. You use all available weapons. You play without fear

This ruthless was exposed against Nadal. Nadal is also terribly hard to beat. Never take a point off. You had to win 10-8 in the fifth.

It was a weird Wimbledon. The host country was completely distracted by the World Cup, where England reached the semifinals. President Trump arrived in London and shook the city.

Meanwhile, there was a lot of talk in the men's tournament about five-set matches and tie-breaks, and whether or not Wimbledon should eliminate the two-man victory standard and use a fifth-set tiebreak at the square.

Meh. I do not know about you, Nole, but I think it's mostly a matter of style. I prefer to give my cat a bath every day for a month rather than watching another minute of Anderson-Isner. But I liked every minute of Djokovic-Nadal. I could have stayed two more hours.

I say preserve the system. Keep the tennis weird.

And a hello to Angelique Kerber, who won the women's singles on Saturday, her first Wimbledon title. And bravo Serena Williams, returning after the birth of her first child and emergency surgery immediately after. A motivated Williams said after dropping the finale that she was "just starting". This is great news for tennis.

You are also great news, Novak. The Fedheads and Nadal-ites are experiencing a full-blown Djokovic, which means a harder road for their idols, but it's better for the overall health of the sport. Andy Murray is hiding too. And one of these days, one of the kids will finally break through.

When you sealed it on Sunday, you nibbled the grass of the Central Court as you did when you won first, and you took the joy of the day. having let your 3 year old son, Stefan, see his dad raise the trophy.

It's worth it now, yeah? All this time in the desert?

Welcome, Novak.

Written at Jason Gay at [email protected]