South African judge convicts Bob Hewitt of rape, sexual assault, orders him taken into custody

FILE - In this Monday, Feb. 9, 2015 file photo, former grand slam tennis doubles champion Bob Hewitt walks outside a court in Johannesburg, South Africa. A South African judge on Monday, March 23, 2015 convicted former Grand Slam doubles tennis champion Bob Hewitt of rape and sexual assault decades after the alleged assaults. (AP Photo, File) (The Associated Press)

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FILE - In this June 26, 1965 file photo, Bob Hewitt competes during a tennis match at Wimbledon, England. A South African judge on Monday, March 23, 2015 convicted former Grand Slam doubles tennis champion Bob Hewitt of rape and sexual assault decades after the alleged assaults. (AP Photo, File) (The Associated Press)

Retired tennis player Bob Hewitt sits in the dock in a court east of Johannesburg, South Afirca, Monday, March 23, 2015. Hewitt, a former Grand Slam doubles tennis champion, was convicted in a South African court of rape and sexual assault decades after the alleged assaults. (AP Photo) (The Associated Press)

JOHANNESBURG – Bob Hewitt, a former Grand Slam doubles tennis champion, was on Monday convicted in a South African court of rape and sexual assault decades after the alleged assaults.

Judge Bert Bam said he is satisfied that the two women who had accused the veteran tennis player of rape and a third woman who had accused him of sexual assault were telling the truth.

The charges stemmed from events in the 1980s and 1990s, when Hewitt coached the women as young girls. Hewitt, who is 75 years old, denied all three charges.

The judge said the striking similarities among the three womens' testimonies showed that Hewitt's conduct was calculated.

Bam ordered that Australian-born Hewitt should be taken into custody.