You have three options – as the ball rises, at the top of the bounce, and on the drop. Which should you choose?

Ideally, take it on the rise, right after it bounces on your side of the table. This allows you to rush your opponent, go for maximum angle, and because you are closer to your target – the far side of the table – it actually gives you surprising control. The downside, of course, is that you might be rushed to do this and so lose control and consistency.

If you can’t take it on the rise, then it’s usually best to take it on the drop. This gives lots of control, and also makes it easier to load up the backspin. The downside is you can’t rush your opponent as much or go for as much angle. But since you have more time to react, it gives the most overall control and consistency.

Generally the worse place to contact the ball when pushing is at the top of the bounce. If you do so, since your contract point is higher, your push will tend to bounce up more, giving your opponent an easier attack. However, pushing at the top of the bounce does give you more net clearance and so some players do this with very aggressive pushes. But you can do that almost as well with a later contact point that gives you a lower-bouncing push, and so that’s generally better.

Experiment with all three, find what works for thee!