Former Grand Slam tennis champion Bob Hewitt pleads not guilty to rape, sexual assault charges

Former grand slam tennis doubles champion Bob Hewitt outside a Johannesburg court Monday, Feb. 9, 2015. Hewitt, who is on trial for rape and sexual assault of minors in the country, has pleaded not guilty. (AP Photo) (The Associated Press)

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Former grand slam tennis doubles champion Bob Hewitt at a Johannesburg court Monday, Feb. 9, 2015. Hewitt, who is on trial for rape and sexual assault of minors in the country, has pleaded not guilty . (AP Photo) (The Associated Press)

A children's right activists erects a poster showing former grand slam tennis doubles champion Bob Hewitt, outside a Johannesburg court Monday, Feb. 9, 2015. Hewitt, who is on trial for rape and sexual assault of minors in the country, has pleaded not guilty. (AP Photo) (The Associated Press)

JOHANNESBURG – A former Grand Slam doubles champion on trial for rape and sexual assault of minors has pleaded not guilty in a South African court.

Bob Hewitt appeared in a Johannesburg court on Monday. He is accused of raping a girl under the age of 16 in 1981, raping another girl under the age of 16 in 1982, and sexually assaulting a third girl under the age of 18 in 1994, all in South Africa.

Hewitt's lawyer, Terry Price, read out a statement on behalf of the Australian-born tennis champion, in which he said his accusers had changed their statements a number of times during various television interviews in recent years.

The first state witness, Teresa Tolken, described to the court how Hewitt raped her at a resort in 1981.