But although Lincou's 11-3, 11-9, 11-5 win confounded the rankings, it can hardly be deemed a great surprise given 
the experience and and mastery of the Frenchman, and the recent tribulations of the Egyptian.
It was Shabana's first match since a freak knee injury sustained in the gym two months ago caused him to withdraw mid-match in both the first two Super Series tournaments of 2009 and he looked a little less certain of himself.
On the other hand, Lincou produced exactly the kind of performance he claims he needs these days – a quicker start than he sometimes gets, bolder attempts at taking the ball early, and an economic use of movement.
“He was struggling a little but I have great respect for him,” Lincou admitted generously, and then played along with the slightly un-gallant jokes about needing to reach the final because his wife had gone shopping in London.
“Actually I need to win it,” he said, though he left it nicely unclear as to whether this is to offset the alleged shopping spree or because he needs the success for himself.
Shabana claimed there is now nothing wrong with his knee and that he only needed matches to get back to what he was – in which case everyone had better watch out.
He looked as though he was getting seriously into the contest in the second game, but once he missed his chance of taking it, he fell away again. Overall there were a few too many errors from him and a feeling of lack of confidence – a pretty rare thing for the great Amr Shabana.
But Lincou is a more urgent volleyer and a more assertive attacker when he wants to be these days. He shot straight into a lead and made an early statement with a cut-off volley into the nick which rolled dead, carried him to 6-1 and made the crowd roar their appreciation.
Shabana score with a neat drop in the top left corner to get to 3-7 but then Lincou found time and room to make four winners in a row, three of them in the front court.
The second game looked as though it might turn the match on its head.
Shabana earned a penalty stroke to get to 3-3, reached 6-4 with a forehand cross court to an excellent length, and then got to 8-5 with a typical drop-disguised kill combination.
Had he pushed on then his belief may have come flooding back, but an amazing dive by Lincou seemed to help him get back into the swing again.
He made it to get out of the way of the ball, and got up and went on to win the rally, causing laughter and applause, and generating another little wave of momentum for himself.
At 9-9 Shabana put a volley drop into the tin, showed his irritation with himself with a little gesture and muttered a few words. He may have felt that when Lincou capitalised with a strident volley kill on the next rally, to pinch the second game, that his best chance had gone.
The third game saw Shabana break a string, and make the crowd giggle with something he said to the referee as he came out of the court. It continued with a loud yell when he hit the tin to go 3-5 down, and with another Lincou spectacular – a fall as he made a drive which hurtled to the back for a winner, obviating any need to leap up quickly.
It finished quickly after that, and Lincou can start dreaming of a final if he beats James Willstrop tomorrow. Such is the popularity of the gentleman from Reunion Island the crowd would probably even forgive him for beating the only Englishman.