One of the alleged victims of tennis coach Bob Hewitt said she was not afraid of being sued by him.
|||Durban - One of the alleged victims of tennis great Bob Hewitt said she was not afraid of being sued by him.
The woman – who did not want to be named at this stage – is one of nine women who claimed that Hewitt sexually abused them while coaching them decades ago.
“He must bring it on,” she said on Monday of the threatened legal action.
The Johannesburg woman, was responding to a Daily News report last week which quoted the 73-year-old former Grand Slam champion as saying he would defend himself against sexual abuse charges then sue his accusers.
“He must do what he wants because it will not change what he has done… What is he going to sue me for? It is going to cost him a lot of money because it is not just me, there are many other girls, too,” she said.
Hewitt was served with a summons by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) last week and ordered to appear in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on August 16.
While the NPA would not confirm what charges Hewitt faces, the former tennis champ maintained his innocence.
Speaking to the Daily News last week Hewitt said: “I am innocent. These charges have caused my family and me huge hardship and with the lawyers’ permission I am going to sue.”
Two years ago, a six-month investigation by the Boston Globe alleged Hewitt had molested at least nine young girls - in the US and South Africa - after one of his alleged victims spoke out.
The initial report inspired other alleged victims to break their silence.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame suspended Hewitt from its roll of honour last year after lawyers spent several months interviewing his accusers.
While suspending him from the hall of fame, the organisation did not expel him outright because he had not been convicted of any crime.
Hewitt could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Daily News
