Gaultier has not been seen on the PSA Tour since limping off court in the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open in October 2018 due to a broken bone in his knee, but after a gruelling period of rehabilitation, the 36-year-old will finally return as he competes under the chandeliers of Grand Central Terminal's picturesque Vanderbilt Hall between January 9 and 17. 

Gaultier is expected to represent France in the World Squash Federation Men's World Team Squash Championship, due to start in Washington D.C. on December 15. 

His return to the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions event will be keenly anticipated. 

Known on tour as the "French General", Gaultier has reached the Tournament of Champions final on four occasions and lifted the title in 2009. 

His 2017 semi-final fixture with long-term rival, Egypt's Mohamed ElShorbagy, has gone down as one of the greatest matches ever seen at Grand Central.

Two-time winner ElShorbagy is also set to return, as will his compatriot and 2019 men's champion Ali Farag, who beat ElShorbagy to usurp him as world number one.  

Former champions Karim Abdel Gawad, also from Egypt, Germany's Simon Rösner and England's James Willstrop are also due to feature.

The 2018 runner-up, Egypt's Tarek Momen, will make his first PSA appearance since being crowned world champion in Doha last month, and is expected to be joined in the draw by the man he beat to lift the iconic trophy, New Zealand's Paul Coll.

There will be three former champions in the women's draw, with reigning title holder, Egypt's Nour El Sherbini, 2017 winner Camille Serme from France and world number one Raneem El Welily, yet another Egyptian, all looking to add to their title tallies in New York City. 

El Sherbini downed El Welily last January to become the first woman ever to win the Tournament of Champions title on three occasions. 

She will compete amongst a top-class draw due to feature United States number one and 2016 runner-up Amanda Sobhy, Egypt's British Open champion Nouran Gohar and 2018 runner-up Nour El Tayeb, New Zealand's Joelle King and England's Sarah-Jane Perry.

A prize fund of $390,000 (£297,000/€351,000) will be split equally between the men's and women's events, while the winners will qualify for the PSA World Tour Finals in June.