The Frenchman's 10-12, 11-5, 11-9, 11-7 win over the Egyptian was a triumph for slightly greater flair at important moments, but also for the ability to mix the unexpected with lengthy bouts of disciplined rallying against one of the tour's most consistent rallyers.
Gaultier also had a couple of pieces of good fortune which helped him win the pivotal third game from a 6-8 deficit. 
Once he had done that his movement developed a more arrogant stride, and he always had his nose slightly in front in the fourth.
“I gave my best you know,” he said. “Karim is world number one and it was so close. It was tough to lose the first game, and I just had to refocus.”
So close in fact, that it possible that the knock on the head which Gaultier received at 6-8 in the third game influenced the mood of the contest sufficiently to deflect the flow which had been moving against him.
Gaultier responded to it by walking around with his hand clasped on the place of impact, before leaving the court, and taking four minutes in which to re-assemble his faculties.
Prior to that Darwish had been moving nicely, with his rhythmic drives, considerable patience, and impressive court coverage, coming from 1-5 down to his two-point lead. 
After it, Darwish lost three points in a row, and despite producing one excellent rally on game ball which finished with a let at game point, he lost the game when Gaultier fortuitously got a back wall nick which made the ball roll dead.
The fourth game saw Gaultier hurry to 4-1, only for Darwish to peg him back to 4-4 and suffer another small piece of ill fortune. A Gaultier drive took a nick half way back and Darwish, showing his irritation, responded by placing a volley down and losing a brilliant drop-shotting exchange to sink to 4-7.
Darwish continued to battle by by now Gaultier was smelling a victory which he clearly relished. He finished the match with a brilliant volley drop, which took enough of a half-nick to become unreturnable, and with an even more brilliant smile.
It was these moments of invention which enabled Gaultier to capitalise on his moments of fortune and which make him so dangerous when allied to the intensity he revealed here.
It also left the feeling that, whoever he plays, he would start the final as the favourite.