Hankering for teenage independence, a strong-willed Dayana Yastremska remembers the phase all too well.
Success came quickly as a former junior world No.6 and, determined to forge her own path and identity as a young adult, she was adamant change was needed.
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A decision was made for her family to travel less frequently with her on tour, a move Yastremska admitted in hindsight was not always for the best.
On Wednesday, the now 23-year-old reached her maiden Grand Slam semifinal at Melbourne Park after she defeated Czech teenager Linda Noskova 6-3 6-4.
It continued a whirlwind journey for the world No.93, which began when she arrived in Melbourne on 3 January ahead of her first-round qualifying match a fortnight ago.
Her mother, Maryna, has been along for the ride throughout her eight-match winning streak, making a welcome return, and providing a calming influence courtside and behind the scenes for her daughter’s breakout Grand Slam campaign.
Never has family been so important given the ongoing conflict back home in Ukraine.
“Before, my parents were travelling with me a lot. Then there was some period when I was travelling alone, and that didn't really work out,” Yastremska said.
“I think I had a period where I wanted to feel a bit older, more responsible, and doing things just by myself. But I think in tennis it's important to have family close to you.
“When the war started, I was travelling half a year just with my sister, and my parents were at home. It was pretty hard, because you also are responsible for your younger sister.”
Yastremska and her sister Ivanna, six years her junior and also a promising tennis player, fled Odessa almost two years ago.
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Since then, Ivanna has largely been based in Lyon with mum, Maryna.
“Last year before Roland-Garros, my mother and father, they left Ukraine, they came for a couple days to Paris to see us, and then my mother, with younger sister, they left to south of France where she was living and practising,” she said.
“My father was in Ukraine [but] sometimes he came to see us. So only from last year my mother started again to travel with me for some tournaments. I think it's really nice, because before, I always wanted to be by myself, alone, and now we have better relationship than before, and we can spend a lot of time behind the court together.
“We can go walk and do many things. I think that it really helps when there is someone from the family with you.”
Yastremska had a tough challenge in each of her three matches in qualifying, having to rebound from a 4-2 margin in the deciding set against 17-year-old Australian Maya Joint to seal her return to the main draw.
Barring an unranked Justine Henin on the comeback trail in 2010, she has become the lowest-ranked player through to the last four at Melbourne Park in the past 40 years, and only the second qualifier to push as deep at the Australian Open since Christine Dorey in 1978.
In a positive sign ahead of her showdown against 12th seed Zheng Qinwen or Anna Kalinskaya, Yastremska is not getting carried away with her achievement and remains undaunted regardless of who she next faces.
Mum is here to help keep her grounded in any case.
“I have here the tattoo that says ‘Mother Beauty’,” Yastremska said. “Sometimes I look and it reminds me that I have to fight until the end.”