I too struggle against such ball.
Last week I was doing some short and soft pushes drill with a fellow club mate. The goal was simple, we have to push soft or really short as in to keep the ball inside the table to prevent each other from opening up.
After doing that for half an hour I went to play against other player as per usual and something magical happen. I was able to miraculously block softly these exact slow high arc high rotation topspin ball safely onto the table.
It was an AHA! moment revelation, i.e., soft hand is needed. It is counter-intuitive really, as my rational brain will think, if the ball is soft, then I must block it with gusto and adopt a stiff hand. However, it is on the contrary. Hence I am able to inform from my very own experience, to block back these type of balls, you must keep your bat-hand as relax and soft as possible. Don’t exert undue force, just guide the ball back.
To counter-drive, I would assume the same principle applies.
