Hi Sue, this is a good topic you have raised here actually. The time to flick is when the ball is short over the table, as you mentioned when the ball comes long or half long ideally you should try to topspin the ball, if it is short and low then a short touch or positive long push are the best options. However if the ball is short but slightly higher this is when you should be looking to flick over the table and put your opponents under pressure.
Once you get confident flick on these types of balls and improve the contact you will be able to flick shots which are lower to the net as you improve the contact and spin on the ball. Sometimes if you really struggle to pick up the half long balls but don’t want to push back you can move in and flick those too. It’s about experimenting with your limits and also calculating the risk of a more aggressive flick or keeping it safer with a short touch, there will be times for both in matches.
