Former Grand Slam doubles champion Bob Hewitt was charged in a South African court Friday with two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault of minors in cases that date back as far as the early 1980s. Prosecutors charged the 73-year-old Hewitt,a former member of tennis Hall of Fame,with raping a girl under the age of 16 in 1981 in Sun City in northern South Africa. Hewitt also was charged with raping another girl under 16 in Boksburg,east of Johannesburg,in 1982. A third charge of sexual assault of a girl under 18 in Boksburg in 1994 was read out at Boksburg Magistrates Court. Hewitt,who won 15 Grand Slam doubles titles,has previously denied the accusations. He did not attend his cases first court hearing on Friday citing ill health,but defense lawyer Alwyn Griebenow said Hewitt denies all the charges. anxiety and stress Hewitt is suffering from anxiety attacks and depression among other health problems,is taking medication and couldnt travel from his home in Addo,on South Africas southern coast,to attend the hearing,Griebenow told reporters. A medical certificate from Hewitts doctor was submitted to explain his absence and later released by the court. The certificate said that Hewitts overall condition had deteriorated rapidly over the last 2-3 years. It described how Hewitt had undergone several operations on his knees and a shoulder in recent years and had also suffered a stroke in 2010 and a heart attack in 2011. Obviously all of this is working on him, Griebenow said. Hes an old man and now at such an age,at the age of 73,to be confronted by all of this,its quite a lot to handle,I think. The charges followed a two-year investigation by South African authorities into accusations against the Australian-born Hewitt,who moved to South Africa and became a coach toward the end of his tennis career. The two alleged rape victims have said they were being coached by Hewitt at the time that the offenses are said to have taken place. The AP typically does not identify alleged victims of sexual abuse. Hewitt won doubles and mixed doubles titles at all four Grand Slam events between 1963 and 1979 and played with greats like Billie Jean King,but was indefinitely suspended from the Hall of Fame last year because of the allegations. The organization,based in Newport,Rhode Island,inducted Hewitt in 1992,calling him an enduringly elegant player and a master of the doubles craft. His legacy and any references to him have now been stripped from the Hall. Capriati accused of assault Florida: A court hearing has been set for former tennis star Jennifer Capriati in a stalking and battery case involving her ex-boyfriend. The 37-year-old Capriati is accused of punching ex-boyfriend Ivan Brannan while he worked out at a gym on Valentines Day. Authorities also say Capriati stalked Brannan for months earlier. The two time womens singles Slam winner was also arrested for shoplifting and marijuana possession in the 1990s.
