Lincou destroyed an out of sorts Amr Shabana in 3-0 (11/3, 11/9, 11/5) in just 37 minutes, while earlier in the day Gaultier defeated reigning British Open champion David Palmer 3-1 (11/7, 3/11, 11/6, 11/2).
Lincou, 32, had far too much court craft and speed for Egyptian Shabana, who is on the road back from a knee injury.
Earlier, 26-year-old Gaultier had too much pace and quickness of reaction for his Australian opponent in a match interrupted by a number of disputes over refereeing decisions.
The clash was the first match of this year’s Super Series Finals, which is being played in front of sell-out crowds at The Queen’s Club in London – best known for hosting the Artois Tennis Championships – for the first time.
The choice of venue, together with a powerful visual setting and intimate lighting, mark a spectacular attempt by squash to present a stunning new image for the 21st century.
The dramatic makeover for the game coincides with a bid by squash to be included in the 2016 Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) meets in June to consider the bids of seven sports, including squash, vying for up to two places on the roster of events for the Games. A final decision is due to be made in October at the same session which will decide whether Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, Chicago or Madrid should host the 2016 Olympics.
After clinching victory against Shabana, Thierry Lincou said: “It is fantastic to see so much innovation coming into squash at these championships. The next step is to get our sport into the Olympics.”
The Super Series Finals is the culmination of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) year long tour with only the top eight players qualifying for the prestigious event, which boasts one of the sport’s richest prize funds.
The field is made up of four Egyptians (Karim Darwish, Amr Shabana, Ramy Ashour and Wael el Hindi), two French (Gaultier and Thierry Lincou), an Australian (Palmer) and the sole Briton taking part, Yorkshire’s James Willstrop.