Dubbo's former Grand Slam doubles champion Bob Hewitt has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault of minors in a Johannesburg court.
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Hewitt, 75, 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 Monday on behalf of the tennis champion, in which he said his accusers had changed their statements a number of times during various television interviews in recent years.
Hewitt, whose statement said he had coached many boys and girls, said he emphatically denied raping his former students.
"No matter what happens in this case I will never recover from these accusations," his statement read, comparing his case to the recent allegations against comedian Bill Cosby.
The first state witness, Teresa "Twiggy" Tolken, who has agreed to be identified in the media, described to the court how Hewitt sexually assaulted her during their coaching sessions and later raped her at a resort in 1981.
Tolken read three letters she said Hewitt had written to her at the time of the assault.
"I want to see you. Can't of course hold or kiss you because that has to come from you," Tolken read.
She said Hewitt had told her to destroy the letters.
