When Nicolai Budkov Kjaer was in his early teens, he had to make a choice.

Hockey, or tennis. The fast-growing 6-foot-2 inch Norwegian boy loved both sports, and he came from an athletic family, with father Alexander being a top cyclist and mom being a former swimmer.

At the time, Alexander was helping out as a tennis coach in Oslo, so Nicolai gravitated there.

Wise move, you’d have to say.

The 18-year-old is one match away from completing an extraordinary summer here at the U.S. Open. After winning Wimbledon in July, becoming the first player from his country to win a singles Grand Slam at any level, Budkov Kjaer now finds himself in the finals of the U.S. Open Junior Championships.

Friday, playing with poise and control, he turned back Britain’s Charlie Robertson, 6-3, 6-3 in the semi-finals.

“My goal was to win a Grand Slam and become No. 1 this year, and I did that,” Budkov Kjaer said. “After Wimbledon I have been able to just play free and have fun. Everything is more of a bonus now.”

While in New York Budkov Kjaer has hit with pros like Daniil Medvedev (he hit with Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros as well, he said) and said all this success has been a little sudden.

“Nico was never a child star; he didn’t play with these top Juniors when he was under 14,” Alexander Kjaer said. “This has all happened in the last couple of years.”

In Saturday’s final the top-seeded Budkov Kjaer will face Spain’s Rafael Jodar, the No.12 seed who has been on an incredible tear. After winning the J300 College Park warmup event two weeks ago, Jodar has been playing as well as anyone.

The 17-year-old absolutely blitzed Australian Open champ Rei Sakamoto in the semis, beating him 6-3, 6-1 in less than an hour.

Regardless of who wins Saturday there’s recent history to be made.

The last boys player to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open back to back was Filip Peliwo, who accomplished the feat in 2012. It’s only happened twice since 1989.

Meanwhile, Jodar will be looking to make history of his own: If he beats Wimbledon champ Budkov Kjaer Saturday, he will have beaten all three other Slam champs en route to a title. It is not known if this has ever happened before, but given the recent trend that juniors players who win a Slam title don’t compete anymore at this level, it has certainly been a long time since it has occurred.

“I knew he was a very aggressive player, likes to attack all the time, and hit the ball so hard,” Jodar said after the win. “I knew I had to be there all the time, with consistency, and then when I could, attack. And I’m so excited to be able to be in the final.”

In Robertson, Budkov Kjaer was facing a player who had been dominant all week, facing little challenge. But the Norwegian who counts Casper Ruud as a good friend dictated most rallies from the baseline, breaking serve twice in the first set to grab the lead.

In the second set Budkov Kjaer raced to a 4-1 lead, then had to save three break points while up 4-3 to stay on top.

“It’s extremely cool and I’m very delighted I’m able to do it,” Budkov Kjaer said of reaching consecutive Slam singles finals. “To keep my level like this for two tournaments in a row, I’m very happy.”

The other boys semi-final was just as routine, with only a few moments of drama. In dispatching Australian Open champ Sakamoto, Jodar used his powerful forehands and quick defense to frustrate Sakamoto.

Harrison Lombe, one of Jodar’s coaches at BTT academy in Spain, said his player’s self-belief has taken a big step forward.

“Since the French Open he’s realized his level is there and he has the talent to be at the top with all these guys,” Lombe said. “To win a match like he did yesterday (over Kaylun Bigun), when he wasn’t playing his best, was very big for him.”

Jodar and Budkov Kjaer played once before in an Under 16 tournament, with Jodar winning 7-6 in the third set.

The boys' doubles final is also set for Saturday; the team of Maxim Mrva from Czechia and Sakamoto, the No.1 seed, will play unseeded team of Czechia’s Denis Petak and Switzerland’s Flynn Thomas.