Tennis View contributor Tumaini Carayol reports on the state of Kei Nishikori as he returns from an injury that sidelined him after reaching the Miami semifinals last month.

Three sets had been played by Kei Nishikori, and yet there he stood unscathed, unharmed, uncompromised and unmoved. There was no trainer called, no hint of an injury or ailment that would leave his followers desperately fretting in anticipation of the worst. He simply walked freely to meet with the media, and back again. Despite competing in a three-set match just moments earlier, he was somehow fit.

It has been a recurring theme in the young career of Nishikori. Playing well, playing poorly or not playing at all—irrespectively, injuries are present wherever he goes. Just weeks earlier had come an event in Miami that showcased all that Nishikori is, more accurately than ever.

Possibly the most underrated member of the ATP’s rising young stars found himself face-to-face with the most hyped of them all in Grigor Dimitrov. Although few looked his way in that match, Nishikori strolled to victory with few issues. A solid victory it was, but he wasn't finished there. What followed was the most impressive sequence of victories his career has seen thus far. Two three-set take-downs in succession over top-five players followed, Roger Federer tracing David Ferrer’s footsteps out of the tournament.

Finally, it appeared that the kind of progress Nishikori’s talent demands was finally being realized. And then he wasn’t even able to take the court for his semifinal match against Novak Djokovic. Nishikori was forced to withdraw from Miami with a groin injury.

In Barcelona came his first match since that eventful fortnight, and one thing that didn't offer much surprise was the manner of Nishikori's return. Although he was forced into a third set by a considerably lesser opponent, the Japanese player was dazzling in his perfection during the first set. Precisely measured backhands mixed seamlessly with slightly more weighty forehands. Nishikori’s serves appeared to come equipped with a line-seeking device as they cleaned every white line.

As if preparing to release a thunderbolt of a forehand on every return of serve, Nishikori approaches his opponent's serves completely sideways. He rarely attacks their serves with such aggression, but the relentless consistency of depth on his returns was decisive.

The remainder of the match would become a struggle before the Japanese talent dispatched Gimeno-Traver. But it was that 30-minute first set that stuck in the mind, bolstering the dreams that surround such undeniable talent. A player in possession of every shot in the book and adept at meeting the ball as early as possible while scuttling around the court at lightning speed is a player who cannot be ignored.

But the question remains whether any of it is worth paying attention. There's a reason why Nishikori is underrated. It lies in the fact that every passing week sees only the strengthening of the Nishikori formula. Any manner of notable performance immediately is off-set by an injury setback, forcing him to press the reset button and pick up the pieces all over again. So far, Nishikori’s slight body has been simply unable to handle the rigors of professional tennis consistently.

Although he is still young, Nishikori's 25th birthday arrives at the year’s end. He is quickly reaching the point at which it will be difficult to shrug off setback after setback because of his age. Thus, the next 18 months will likely be decisive in the direction of Kei Nishikori's career. The next chapter starts here in Barcelona.