AFP Sport looks at five other athletes who made famous comebacks:

Tiger Woods

The American superstar returned to the summit of golf in April last year at the age of 43 when he ended an 11-year major drought by winning an emotional fifth US Masters at Augusta, 14 years after his last Green Jacket.

It followed multiple surgeries and a string of off-course problems since his 14th major win at the 2008 US Open, with Woods at one point fearing he may never play again.

His feat was hailed as inspirational by a who's who of the sporting world, and the following month he became the fourth golfer to be awarded the United States' Presidential Medal of Freedom.

He capped a remarkable 2019 by equaling Sam Snead's all-time record of 82 PGA Tour wins at the Zozo Championship in Japan in October.