France's Caroline Garcia and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in action during their United Cup doubles quarterfinal tennis match against Norway's Ulrikke Eikeri and Casper Ruud in Sydney, Australia, on Jan 4, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

SYDNEY - Caroline Garcia helped France clinch a spot in the United Cup semi-finals as she beat Malene Helgo in singles and partnered with Edouard Roger-Vasselin to win the doubles decider in a 2-1 win over Norway on Thursday in Sydney.

Garcia and Roger-Vasselin beat the pair of Ulrikke Eikeri and Casper Ruud 7-5 6-4 in an entertaining mixed doubles decider.

The first set was a tight affair until France broke serve to make it 6-5 before holding to win the opener, and then made the only break for a 2-1 lead in the second set.

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Norway's Casper Ruud and Ulrikke Eikeri play a point against France's Caroline Garcia and Edouard Roger-Vasselin during their mixed doubles match at the United Cup tennis event on Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney on Jan 4, 2024. (PHOTO / AFP)

"Tomorrow is going to be a day off. We are not that young anymore, especially me," playing captain Roger-Vasselin said.

"Tomorrow will just be a day off, try to rest, enjoy Sydney maybe and then come back strong for Saturday's semi-final."

World number 20 Garcia earlier survived a second-set scare to give France the lead with a 6-2 6-7(6) 7-6(5) victory over Helgo.

Garcia looked on course for a straightforward win after cruising through the first set and getting to match point in the second set's tiebreaker, but Helgo, ranked 544 in the world, rallied to make things difficult for the Frenchwoman.

Caroline Garcia of France plays a backhand return to Norway's Malene Helgo during their United Cup quarterfinal tennis match in Sydney, Australia, on Jan 4, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

"It was a crazy match. Malene was a player I didn't know but she just hit the ball so well," Garcia said. "I went through all the emotions out there and I had to find a way through. Today it was almost too much, but in the end I got the point.

Casper Ruud, who won his last two singles matches, brought Norway back into the tie with his 6-1 6-4 win over Adrian Mannarino.

World number 22 Mannarino had simply no answer to Ruud's clinical game and the Frenchman only avoided a "bagel" by holding his last service game of the first set, before improving in the second.

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France will face top-seeded Poland in Saturday's semi-final in Sydney. Greece and Germany meet on Friday to decide who will play Australia in the other semi-final.