Maria Sharapova signs deal with Porsche

Maria Sharapova has become Porsche's first global endorser. (Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images) Porsche has signed Maria Sharapova as its first

Maria Sharapova has become Porsche's first global endorser. (Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Porsche has signed Maria Sharapova as its first global brand ambassador. The German car company announced the three-year deal on Monday.

This is Sharapova's second endorsement deal with a luxury-car manufacturer after signing a three-year deal with Land Rover in 2006.

"This is a really special day for me," Sharapova said in Stuttgart, Germany, where she's defending her title at the Porsche Grand Prix this week (she was given a Porsche 911 last year after winning the title). "I have had the privilege to be associated with some of the best brands in the world, but now to be partners with Porsche is such an amazing honor."

Photo Gallery: Maria Sharapova through the years

It's quite a nod to the 26-year-old Sharapova that Porsche, a company that markets itself primarily to men, would select a female athlete as its first global endorser.

"Maria Sharapova is an exceptional athlete," Porsche AG CEO Matthias Mueller said in a statement. "She combines top performance in her sports with elegance and power. These are precisely the qualities that are embroiled in our sports cars."

Maria Sharapova previously endorsed Land Rover. (Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)